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THE 


FAITHFUL  STEWARD. 

Being  an  impartial  investigation  of  the  subject : 

Is  THE  CHURCH  JUSTIFIABLE  IN  BAPTIZING  ADULT5 
WITHOUT  EVIDENCE  OF  THEIR  FAITH  AND  RE- 
PENTANCE; AND  IN  BAPTIZING  THE  CHILDREN  OF 
ANY  PARENTS  WHO  DO  NOT  LIKEWISE  GIVE  EVI- 
DENCE OF  BEING  THE  SUBJECTS  OF  FAITH  ANT 
»EPEN%ANCE  ? 


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Moreover  it  is  required  in  Stewards  thai  a  man  be  found 
faithful.  ~  1   Cor.  v.  2. 

For  S ion's  sake  I  will  not  keep  silence  ;  er.d  fcr  the  sake 
&f  Jerusalem  I  will  not  rest ',  until  her  righteousness  break 
hrth  as  a  strong  light;  end  her  salvation,  like  a  blazing 
torch,  Isai.  62,    1. 

LOWTE, 


LOUISVILLE,  (K.) 
Printed  by  F.  PENISTON, 


1806, 


¥*3*~&&'m 


CONTENTS. 


PART  I, 


FREE  remarks  upon  the  corruption  of  the  church  ocean- 
•ned  by  an  improper  ufe  of  her  ordinance*. —  The  profanation 
•f  the  initiatory  ordinance,  a  great  caufe  of  the  defective  and 
calamitous  ft'teofthe  Jewijh  church  at  different  times.— 
The  Chriftian  church  particular  in  her  admiflion  to  baptifm 
during  the  three  firft  centuries. —  The  adminiftration  of  bap- 
tifm to  the  good  and  bad  indtfcrkninately  grown  into  ufe 
with  P>pery. — The  abfurdity  of  fome  opinions  and  arguments 
■which  are  off-red  in  jufhfication  of  the  baptifm  of  uncon. 
terted  perfbns  and  thc*ir  infants,  noticed — Remarks  on  the 
church  of  England,  the  Methodift,  the  Prefbyterian,  the  Se- 
Ctder  and  tne  Baptift  churches  in  reference  to  the  baptifm  of 
the  unregeaerate  and  the  ch.ildren.jof  iuch.  —  Theie  abufes  of 
trdinances  no  ground  of  objection  againll  divine  revelation. 

PART  II. 

A  clofer  view  of  the  fuhj^ft. — The  impropriety  of  admit- 
ting the  impenitent  and  profane,  appears  from  the  truth  and 
faithful. tefs  of  God,  and  from  the  nature  of  baptifm — from 
the  character  of  Abraham  and  the  mariner  in  which  the  i'uip- 
ture  d^finrs  his  fetd  who  are  to  inherit  the  pro  mile — from 
the  (  haratter  of  thofe  who  were  received  into  the  church  by 
the  firft  planters  of  chrifhanity — fr«m  the  manner  of  addrefs- 
ing  the  churches  in  the  epiftolary  writings. — Arguments 
tfrav  n  from  the  parable  of  the  good  f-rd  and  tares.-— A  prin- 
cipal ohj-ction  difrufled,  and  the  fiobjecl  continued Of  cut. 

ting  off  from  -among    God's  p^nplr. — Of  the    reafon  why  the 

Ifraelites  were  not  cifcumcifed   in  the  wildernefs Of  Cain, 

of  Efau  and  the  ten  tribes  — The  unbeliever  and  the  profane 
excluded  from  the  church  of  Chrift  according  to  Ezekiel'fl 
vi-w  of  the  myftical  tempi'-.-;— Of  the  reformation  of  tl.efons 
©f  Ltvi  fpoken  of  bv  Malic hy. — This  realized  in  rtfufing 
baptifm  to  profane  Puaniccs  and  Sadduccts. 


&e 


PART    I. 


Is  the  Church  justifiable  in  baptizing  Adults  without  evidence 
of  their  faith  and  repentance  ;  and  in  baptizing  the  chil- 
dren of  any  parents  who  du  not  likewise  give  evidence  of 
being  the  subjects  of  faith  and  repentance  ? 


A 


,N  important  fubjr>&  lies  before  me.  I  mall  endeavor 
to  ju.lge  of  it,  not  from  the  ptaclice  of  any,  but  from  che 
principle  which  God  has  given  in  his  word.  The  injury 
which  hds  been  done  to  lociety  in  the  different  seras  of  time, 
fince  a  church  exifted  in  the  world,  by  the  improper  admini- 
ftration  of  the  ordinances  of  divine  revelation,  fw ells  im- 
menfely  upon  the  review.  The  practice,  which  feems  to  have 
been  purfued  by  the  ancient  Jews,  has  in  many  iuftances  been 
conftituted  into  a  rule  of  conduct,  and  mnde  the  bafis  of  fen- 
timent.  What  is  this,  but  judging  the  exc  ellence  of  revealed 
religion  by  the  practice  of  its  profelTors  ?  A  profane  effort  of 
inS-lelity;  the  abfurdity  of  which  has  been  frequently  expofecL 
We  fhould  keep  the  principle  given  in  any  inftitution  free 
from  the  practice  of  thofe  who  might  corrupt  the  inftitution 
and  drp.trt  from  its  firft  defign.  The  admiflion  of  improper 
perfons  to  divine  ordinances,  and  the  continuum  e  of  fuch  in 
the  enjoyment  of  them,  after  a  difcoveiy  of  error  was.  or 
might  be  made  and  a  reformation  was  practicable,  has  cattfed 
the  frowns  of  heaven  to  rt  ft  upon  that  fociety  in  proportion  to 
the  corruptnefs  of  its  mMnbrrs,  and  the  laxity  which  it  in- 
dulged in  admtUion  tofacred  privileges. 

The  great  misfortune  in  this  cafe  is,  that  it  frequently  fan. 
pen?,  the  nVi~fy  ooafts.of  numbers;  but  through  biindnrfa 
an  1  pirtiality  fee  not  the  fin,  and  apprehend  not  the  punifh- 
m  nt  whi<  h  awaits  them.  This  is  the  c-.fe  at  this  day  with- 
thof  pn  pagitors  of  p^ty  who  are  in  the  h.ihits  of  receiving 
p^  Tons  co  the  ordinance  of  baptifm  without  m.-king  any  dis- 
tinction betWeen  the  (Tiered  ^nd  profane  ;  ind  enrolling  the 
names  of  the  wicked  among  iheir  prcfclyics,  in   order  to  en- 


[     6     3 

Iarg"€  their  rcfourccs,  and  make  a  magnificent  figure  in  the 
world. 

The  general  pra&ice  which  prevailed  in  the  Jewifh  church, 
cf  admitting  the  profane  to  privileges,  and  the  great  omiflion 
in  reference  to  the  exclufion  or  cutting  off  thofe  who  did  not 
exhibit  a  converfation  declarative  of  the  faith  and  godlinefs 
t.f  Abraham,  became  a  fruitful  fource  of  many  evils  :  the 
idea  of  Abraham,  as  the  father  of  the  faithful,  refers  more  to 
his  example,  and  to  him  as  a  pattern,  according  to  which  the 
character  who  would  obtain  a  ftand  in  that  church  fhould  be 
formed  than  to  his  natural  relation  to  hu  pofterity. 

BefrJe  the  moral  evil  of  the  practice  itfelf,  it  fubjeeled  thero 
in  a  collective  view  to  all  the  calamities  of  war  and  difperfion, 
tlefolation  and  captivity.*  In  the  fiftieth  Pfalm  you  have  the 
mind  of  God  given  in  a  very  poiwted  manner  upon  this  fub- 
\z£i  :  the  un found  profeffors,  among  the  Jews,  are  reprefented 
.  s  having  made  a  covenant  by  facrifice,  having  given  into 
the  external  forms,  while  their  heart  was  not  in  the  bufinefs, 
and  their  life  indicated  a  difafFc&ion  of  mind  to  God.  "  But 
unto  the  wicked  God  faith,  What  haft  thou  to  do  to  declare 
my  ftatutes,  or  that  thou  (houldeft  take  my  covenant  in  thy 
mouth  ?  Seeing  thou  hateft  inftruclion,  and  caftefl  my  words 
behind  thee.'?f  God  in  this  parage  exprefsly  difapprobates 
the  aiTumption  of  the  external  forms  ©f  his  covenant  by  thofe 
hypocritical  and  wicked  Jews  ;  and  no  man  can  be  fo  vain 
?s  to  fuppofe,  that  God  would  have  pei Tons  admitted  to  thofe 
ordinances,  which  are  expreflions  of  his  love,  whom  he  prohi- 
bits by  a  fcntcncc  of  condemnation. 

Whenever  the  Jews  exercifed  that  faith,  and  employed  that 
fincerity  which  was  implied  in  the  covenant  made  with  Abra- 
ham, they  were  preferved  from  thofe  judgments  which  fol- 
lowed them  in  their  deviations  :  though  God  be  "  the  great 
snd  dreadful  God,  he  keeps  covenant,  and  mercy  to  them  that 
love  him,-  and  to  them  that  keep  his  commandments. "J 
This  doctrine  feems  to  be  abundantly  implied  in  the  16th 
chapter  of  Leviticus,  where  the  mercies  and  judgments  which 

*  Dan.  9.  IS.     Zccha.  7.  13,  14. 
t  Psal.   50.  7—16,  17. 
\  Dan,  9.  4. 


[    r   1 

Trould  fall  upon  the  Jews,  were  announced  to  them  by  MofeSj 
in  a  prophetic  manner,  according  to  the  fincerity  or  corrupt- 
refs  which  fhould  obtain  among  them.  It  was  owing  t©  the 
multitudes  of  disqualified  members,  who  fwarmed  in  the  Jew- 
ifh  church,  that  the  inftruelions  of  the  prophets  in  every  age 
•were  rejected,  and  the  reformation  attempted  by  them  was 
obftructed,  even  when  the  voice  of  nature  coroborated  that 
of  the  prophets,  and  proclaimed  the  true  worfhip  of  God  as 
proper  and  neceflary  in  oppofition  to  that  of  idols. 

If  none  had  been  admitted  to  the  privileges  of  the  Jewifh 
church  in  the  age  in  which  our  Saviour  lived,  but  thofe  who 
maintained  a  piety  fuitable  to  the  holy  nature  of  the  covenant 
made  with  Abraham,  the  world  would  not  have  witneffed  in 
that  fociety  an  envenomed  and  diftraeled  multitude  of  the  re- 
puted worfhipers  of  the  living  God,  chief  confpirators  and 
perpetrators  in  the  deitruction  of  Jefus  of  Nazareth,  in  whofe 
perfon  and  conduct  were  realized  the  whole  afiVmblage  of 
thofe  virtues  which  the  religion  they  themfelves  profefled, 
taught  them. 

Had  a  fpirited  economy  been  obferved  in  the  Jewifh 
ehurch,  according  to  the  tenor  of  that  covenant  made  with  the 
Father  of  the  faithful,  the  ignorant  multitudes  of  unbelieving 
Jews  would  have  ftood  upon  their  own  ground,  and  of  confe- 
rence would  not  be  poflefled  of  that  invincible  church  pride 
which  fo  effectually  bared  their  minds  againft  the  inductions 
of  Cbrift  and  his  apoftles. 

Religion  has  always,  in  its  vigorous  exercife  and  revival?, 
met  with  its  firft  attacks  from  thofe  deadly  profeffors  whofe 
only  object  was  to  be  initiated  into  the  church  and  obtain  a 
ftand  in  fociety.  To  afiuie  us  this  description  of  perfons  were 
improper  fubje&s  of  ordinances,  jefus  Chrift  excluded  from 
his  church,  in  the  gefpd  edition  of  it,  the  whole  tribe  of  thefe 
pretenders  who  did  not  yield  an  obedience  to  the  gofpel,  and 
thus  prove  that  they  had  imbibed  its  principles.  But,  alas, 
(hall  the  church  glide  into  the  fame  fault  again  after  the  dread. 
ful  confe-quences  which  have  been  experienced,  and  the  (hiking 
evidence  which  it  had  of  the  imprapriety  cf  the  meafure,  in 
the  obrtruclions  which  true  religien  experienced  under  the 
Jewifh  difpenfation,  and  in  the  inftance  of  publishing  the  ti- 
dings of  great  joy?  Lamentable  conferences  recognize  the 
faft  ! 


I  »  J 

During  the  three  firft  centuries,  when  the  church  w*t  the 
ohj  d\  of  fpecial  perfecurien,  men  of  ionupt  aiinds  feemcd  in 
a  good  me-Jur*-  to  have  been  prtcludrri  from  obtiuding  rbem- 
felves  up -m  her;  r  ligion  having  not  yt-t  became  a  mattri  <( 
VTiin  often tation,  or  an  o'>jf£\  of  lucrative  \ir\v,  tiit-  churili 
obf-  rved  grfst  Cdre  and  particularity  in  the  admiffion  of  brr 
m-  mbers.  Ibis  may  b<  learned  by  refering  to  tbr  principle 
Writers  or  th^t  time,  Thefamoirs  Okigkn,  m  Writing agaii  ft 
Cklsus  in  beh  It  of chriftianity,  fpe.ks  in  tbe  following  man- 
ner :  k'  We  do  our  utmost  that  our  congregations  be  composed  of 
good  prudent  men — so  that  none 'who  are  admitted  to  our  con* 
gregat  on:,  kst prayers :,  are  vie  oiu  Li'  wicked  except  very  t  arelj 
it  happen  th„t  some  bad  men  may  be  found  hidden  in  so  great  a 
number.''* 

Thoie  perfons  who  p^of  flVd  their  drfign  to  relirquifti 
keathenifrn  and  idol  .uy,  t»  1 1 ;  cb  fiied  to  become  membt  rs  ef  tbe 
chriftian  church,  were  poi  immediately  ncc-ivrd  to  b<  ptnm, 
but  wrre  continued  fome  time  k<  a-  Catec  I n { r m e 1 1 s , ' '  or  per- 
fons  under  inftiu&ion,  with  a  view  to  atlmiflion  into  the  fo» 
ciety. 

This  method  was  observed  toward  them  fir  two  reasons  : 
1st,  That  tht'y  might  become  acquainted  with  tht  doctrine  of 
the  christian  faith  ;  C7<cl2dly.  7  hat  they  might  give  demonstra- 
tion of  the  reality  ef  their  11  tertian  by  the  change  of  their 
lives,  and  the  holiness  ef  their  conversation. 

This  description  of  persons,  tvhen  in  the  church,  stood  in  a 
place  by  themselves,  and  attended  sermons  which  were  adapted 
to  their  capacities,  being  discourses  upon  the  plainer  truths  of 
th:  gospeh\  When  they  had  sufficiently  progressed  n  know- 
ledge,  and  were  established  m  bthavicur,  thtj  were  advanced  ttf 
ths  gradation  of  the  perfecti,  \%hitb  means  a  morr  ai.c«mpHhtd 
drgtcr  of  knowlrdge,  and  a  more  approved  converfation. 
After  fimr  fho.t  time  they  were  baptized,  and  engaged  with 
the  faithful  in  Celebrating  the  Eucharift  or  the  Lord's  fupper. 

From  the  preceding  reprefentation,  it  appears  the  church 
fcad  not  yet  learned  to  adminiftcrr  baptifm,  or  any  otber  <  I  nuh 

•  Qrigtn  centra  Celsvm.     l/>b.  t.f.  K3    i?  I  b.  p.  178. 
t  Origca  antra  CiJsum.     Lib*  3.  /*   \%%*  143» 


[     9     ] 

privilege  to  grown  perfons  without  evidence  of  their  religion. 
J  mention  grown  perfons  becaufe  the  church  was  then  in  the 
practice  of  baptifmg  the  infants  of  thofe  Pagans  converted  to 
chriftianity,  to  whofe  perfons  baptifm  was  adminiftered,  upon 
the  principle  of  their  relation  to  faithful  parents,  who  fhould 
teach  them,  and  bring  them  up  in  the  ways  of  godlinefs. 

But  foon  did  this  fidelity  to  the  Great  Head  of  the  church 
fail  ;  foon  was  the  temple  of  God  crowded  with  worldly 
minded  priefts,  and  foon  did  fociety  become  a  group  of  carnal, 
unprincipled  profeffors,  who  diftinguifhed  not  between  the  fa- 
cred  and  profane.  Thefe  priefts  inftead  of  requiring  real  evi- 
dence of  a  change  of  nature  in  the  character  of  profefTors, 
made  a  bare  fubmiiTion  to  mere  ordinances,  the  diftinguifhing 
marks  of  chrifHanity.  In  procefs  of  time  the  whole  mafs  of 
the  reputed  followers  of  Chrift  were  leavened  with  the  leaven 
of  the  ancient  Pharifces  :  the  fociety  of  chriftians  affumed  the 
fame  configuration  which  characterifed  the  Jewifh  church  at 
the  introduction  of  the  gofpel,  and  employed  the  fame  fpirit 
which  the  ancient  pofterity  of  Abraham  did  againft  thofe  good 
men  who  attempted  the  reformation  of  the  church  and  the  re- 
inftatement  of  gofpel  truth. 

The  juftnefs  of  this  reprefentation  you  find  realized  in'the 
treatment  which  the  illuftricus  Saxon  Godefchalcus  received 
from  the  blind  bifhops  of  his  day.  He  lived  about  the  middle 
of  the  ninth  century,  wat  a  profound  ftudent  of  divinity,  whofe 
erudition,  natural  parts,  and  piety,  would  eftablifh  his  praifes 
in  the  churches;  yet  becaufe  he  taught  fome  doctrines  which 
the  pride  of  man  hates,  though  very  diftinguifhable  in  the 
fcriprures,  and  though  they  conftityte  fome  of  i;s  mod  promi- 
nent features,  he  became  a  victim  of  eccltfiaftic  perfecution, 
was  whipped  with  the  utmolt  feverity,  and  to  preclude  his  in- 
fluence from  fociety  his  life  was  exterminated  in  the  dreary  rc- 
cefs  of  a  dungeon.  He  retained  his  fentiments,  and  the  mag- 
nanimity of  his  foul  remained  firm  unto  the  laA.*  Ke  ftill 
believed  the  fuperintendence  of  divine  Providence,  and  with 
Paul,  that  God  worketh  all  things  after  the  counfel  of  his  own 
will — that  God  does  not  begin  to  determine  upon  the  justifi- 
cation of  the  finner  after  he  converts  himfelf ;  but  that  the 
divine  mind  acted  as  well  upon  the  cafe  of  the  believer  before 

*  II  velume  of  Zlosheim's Eccles.  hist,  p.  334,  S353  334. 


tim*»  as  after  his  convrrfion — that  before  time  had  an  exifW 
ence,  or  this  woild,  God  chofr  fomr  of  mortal  rate  that  thrjr 
fhnuld  be  holy  ;  having  ptrdt  Rinatcd  them  to  the  adoption  of 
children,  (not  ac(  ordmg  to  the  will  of  thr  fie fh)  but  according 
to  the  good  pleafure  of  his  own  will  and  to  the  praife  of  tht 
jloiy  of  his  grace."* 

Had  divine  grace  formfd  and  regulated  the  temper  of  tht 
ehriltian  church  at  th.it  tune,  (lie  would  not  have  i  omitted  or 
retained  in  communion  ftu  h  a  herd  of  anti-fctiptural  profes- 
sors and  ecdefiaftics  ;  flic  would  h.ive  fpued  them  out  of  her 
mouth,  and  have  erecTied  the  colours  of  Chrift  Jefus  and  his 
twrlve  apoftles  ;  but  inltead  of  that,  her  b.iptifm  and  her  other 
ordinances  wrrc  free  to  the  enemies  of  the  crofs  of  Chrift^ 
Hrho  flood  ready  with  weapons  in  their  hands  for  the  dtftiuc- 
tion  of  thof  perfons  who  fhould  believr,  profc  fs,  and  practice 
aicording  to  u  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  faints."  Hence 
Jerome  of  Pr-iguf,  Wiikliff  and  thr  pious  VValdcnfrs,  were 
the  unfortunate  victims  of  hergboltly  fury. 

The  notion  that  Chi  id  died  for  the  guilt  and  {infulnefs> 
tvhich  were  derived  by  our  race  from  tht  f..l!  of  Adam,  in  iuth 
manner  that  the  whole  moral  fyftem  of  human  nature  was  fume 
how  i.ff-tted  by  it  ;  that  through  cur  b-ptifm  all  our  guilt 
and  finfulnrfs  are  obliterated,  and  that  then  we  ftand  before 
God  in  the  primitive  date  of  Ad<im,  tonfinrd  the  notion  of  re- 
generation to  the  mere  att  of  baptilm  whether  adminillc  ted 
to  infants  or  to  adults.  Thus  the  grofs  Honv-mift  knew  no 
etlur  regeneration  than  baptifm  founded  upon  thr  principle  of 
this  genrrol  rff  i\  of  thr  drath  of  Chrift  upon  all  the  human 
family  ;  ofceurfe  thry  required  not  the  vifiblr  evidence  of  a 
renew  .1  of  tlie  perfons  heart  who  was  recrivrd,  or  continued 
in  their  communion:  all.  accoiding  io  their  principles,  had  a 
real  right  to  bapufm.  To  this,  ff  c"\  thry  pjJ\  Fat.l's  woids  t 
ii  As  in  Alam  all  Kie,  even  fo  in  Chrilt  fllaJl  all  he  made 
alv-,'t  forgeting  that  the  lYriptures  rrrognizr  no  way  of  be- 
coming intereftfd  in  thr  death  of  Chrift,  hut  by  f.iih  in  him, 
and  that  the  ap<  Hi-  w  is  fpeakiog  here  of  the  h^ppy  refurrec- 
tion  of  brlieveri  in  ChrtfU 

This  Romaniftu  principle  is  pracVrfed  upon  by  many  who 
bo«ui  oi  life  and  reformation  at  this  da.  in  our  country.     But 

*i/£.  1.4,  5,6,  f  1  O.  U.  23. 


t    »    3 

h  it  not  a^lurd  when  men  draw  their  arguments  in  favor  ©f 
int\nt  baptifn,  from  the  f.iith  of  parents,  <s  g'v'ng  their 
childrrn  a  right  to  baptilm,  that  th^-y  Ihoulu  deviate  from  tluir 
©wn  fundamental  prinripl  s  ?  If  the  right  of  infants  to  bapiifm 
Or  thus  pie  'ded  from  the  real  int<-reft  which  their  parents  hive 
in  the  fti.ju!  itions  of  G  >  i'3  economy  <>f  grace.  1  cannot  fee 
how  upon  principles  of  cons-men  feole,  the  children  of  the 
profane,  or  mere  pretenders  to  the  chnftian  name,  who  do  not 
give  evidence  of  faith  and  repentance,  can  be  admitted  to  bap- 
tifn. I  can  easily  f-e  bow  timef-rvers  might  h\  (his  meaty 
humour  the  folly  of  the  fi  If,  the  deceived,  who  place  religion 
in  nr-re  ordinances,  and  are  not  at  all  felicitous  about  tec-ling 
the  life  and  pnwer  of  it  ;  but  how  gofpel  mi.-iflers  can  do  fo 
Whnfe  bufinefs  it  (h)uld  be  to  apply  thofe  declarations  of  ex- 
clufion,  which  are  made  in  divine  revflation,  is  a  thing  for 
which  I  cannot  account,  without  rcfolving  it  into  the  great 
myftery  of  iniquity. 

We  do  not  plead  for  the  b^ptifm  of  infants  from  the  cove- 
nant tmde  with  Adam;  but  from  thr  covenant  made  with 
Abraham,  and  becaufe  they  are  the  children  of  believers. 

If  the  notion  that  the  death  of  Chrifr  has  fo  cancelled  ori- 
ginal guilt,  and  wip-d  off  the  contaminating  Rain  of  fin  from 
human  nature,  that  without  any  ciiftinc~lion  the  whole  race  of 
Adam  fland  juftifi  d  and  of  tonf-quence  regenerated,  till  thry 
have  committed  fome  actual  fin,  lays  a  foundation  for  the 
right  of  children  to  b^ptifm,  why  is  any  other  right  plead- 
ed by  thofe  people  for  the  baptifn]  of  either  infants  or  adults? 
According  to  this  notion,  if  you  prove  that  a  being  is  merely 
human,  you  have  a  fufficient  warrant  for  his  bnptifm.  Chrift'i 
fuflfering  in  hum  in  nature  becomes  his  qualification  without 
refpe<£\  to  faith,  to  give  a  title  to  b  iptifm.  The  believer  in 
this  view  has  no  preference  to  the  unbeliever  The  whole  doc- 
trine of  baptifm  is  reduced  to  an  iu(ign<ficant  and  pitiful  non- 
fenfe,  and  the  privilege  of  the  church  made  a  common  thing. 

I  am  aftoninVd  when  I  fee  men  in  the  pertnefs  of  their  fol- 
ly, ftrp  forward  in  the  open  view  of  mankind,  to  jufVify  a  thing" 
which  is  evidently  marked  with  all  the  figns  of  a  counterfeit. 
It  cannot  bear  the  light  of  investigation  ;  it  fuits  better  in 
the  tav-m  than  in  the  church,  in  the  darkuefs  'if  night  than 
in  the  ▼ifibilijy  of  day.     Yet  we  find  a  whole  caravan  of  prea- 


[      12     ] 

chers  employed  in  baptifing  the  children  of  perfons  who  have  *c 
juft  appearance  of  religion  in  their  life,  unlefs  you  confider the 
ail  of  coming  forth  to  baptifm  fuch  appearance;  and  likewife 
baptifmg  adults  who  have  nothing  to  fiy  for  their  religion  on- 
ly they  are  willing  to  iubmit  to  baptifm.  Such  perfons  may 
fay  that  it  is  not  their  avowed  pra&ice  to  introduce  uncon- 
verted adults  into  their  church  ;  whatever  perfons  may  have 
avowed  upon  this  fubjeft,  we  fee  fuch  baptifms  frequently 
taking  place,  and  the  reception  of  adults  into  the  church 
feems  to  be  neceffarily  connected  with  the  baptifm  of  them. 
But  an  ambiguous  charadter  will  be  brought  forward  as  a  pro- 
per fubjedl  of  baptifm,  or  a  fubftitute  for  a  converted  perfon  : 
that  is,  fuch  as  have  ;t  a  defire  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to 
come."  The  ftate  of  the  perfon's  mind  who  is  here  meant, 
feems  to  be  what  is  commonly  called  conviction  of  fm  ;  if  it 
fee  any  thing  more  than  conviction,  I  cannot  conceive  what 
that  may  be  -fhort  of  faith,  and  in  that  cafe  the  fubjedt  is  Rot 
in  a  questionable  fituation.  The  mind  rnuft  be  either  converted 
or  unconverted  :  there  is  no  ftage  between  the  two.  As  to 
conviction  of  fin  and  the  dread  of  evil  they  arc  natural  to  the 
mind  of  man  when  thoughtful  Sc  apprehcnuverefpe&ing  future 
things,  and  the  poffibility  of  an  awful  deftiny.  There  is  no 
virtue  or  religion  in  them  ;  the  devil  pofleffes  mqjp  convicti- 
on than  any  of  the  fons  of  mortality. 

But  here  we  may  be  favored  with  an  interogatory  ftatereent 
by  fome  mafterly  hand  :  What,  do  you  call  unconverted  and  even 
unawakened  persons,  now  grown  te  years  of  discretion  ivbd 
toerz  received  into  the  church  in  their  infancy  ?  This  inquiry 
has  a  formidable  afpect.  Alas,  how  profound  the  argument  ! 
Who  is  able  to  folve  the  difficulty,  or  ftand  before  fuch  a 
weight  of  rL'afoning  ?  But  as  writers  upon  the  fubjeft  of  bap- 
tifm, I  would  advife  gentlemen  to  make  themfelves  acquaint- 
ed with  the  ftrong  ground  of  which  they  ought  to  take  poffcT- 
Ron,  leafl  when  reafoning  with  thofe  who  deny  the  propriety 
of  infant  baptifm,  they  have  to  give  up  the  point  in  confe- 
quencc  of  their  own  premifes.  If  baptifm  were  pleaded  for 
infants,  in  confro.uence  of  any  fuppofed  fitnefs  in  themfelves, 
diflincl  from  the  faith  and  religion  of  their  parents,  I  con  ft  fs  I 
fliouldnot  be  able  with  a  good  confeience  to  open  my  mouth 
in  favor  of  it  :  for  certainly  the  word  of  God  would  not  jus- 
tify me  in  fo  doirg.  The  heft  writers  upon  the  fubjefl  of  in- 
fant or  boufehold  bnptifm  cheerfully  agree  iu  wguittentstfioii 


[     13     ] 

with  the  Baptifl  brethren,  that  faith  and  repentance  arft 
iieceffary  qualifications  prior  to  baptifm  in  perfons  who 
are  received  in  mature  age,  or  at  fnch  an  age  as  admiu  of  a 
profeffion  ;  but  they  plead  from  different  principles  that  the 
infants,  or  houfe-holds  of  fucfa  as  are  believers,  may  be  re- 
ceived thro'  them  to  baptifm.*.  Yet  they  do  not  plead  for  the 
baptifm  of  any  others,  neither  can  they  do  it  by  the  ufe  of  juft 
principles  or  inference  from  the  fubjeci.  Infants  are  received 
as  fcholars  ;  and  all  the  fcriptures  refpeciing  the  bufinefs  go 
to  prove  the  neceflity  of  real  religion  in  thofe  who  aft  as 
their  parents.  Perfons  are  net  admiflible  to  privileges  in  the 
church  on  account  of  their  infant  baptifm  ;  no  :  that  may  be 
the  way  of  feme  who  want  a  pretext  for  admiffion  to  ordi- 
nances without  religion  ;  but  it  is  not  the  plan  of  conduct 
fanctioned  in  the  word  of  God. 

Some  one  h^re  again  may  interpofe  and  put  this  msfterly 
query  :  Would  not  proselytes  of  the  gate  obtain  circumcision 
for  their  children  under  the  Jewish  dispensation  should  they 
have  offered  them?  I  anfwer  no:  the  privilege  would  cer- 
tainly have  been  denied  them,  had  the  fcriptures  been  taken 
for  the  rule  of  direction.  It  is  well  known  that  the  uncir- 
cumcifed  male  was  to  be  cut  off  from  among  God's  people, 
and  that  when  the  male-head  reprefented  the  family  in  mino- 
rity, the  child  could  not  be  circumcifed  but  through  the  pa- 
rent, neither  could  ke  in  that  cafe  be  circumcifed  before  the 
parent,  becaufe  he  partook  of  the  fame  uncleanne£»,  and 
flood  at  the  fame  awful  dittance  from  the  church  of  God 
with  the  father,  who  until  he  fhould  be  circumcifed  had  neither 
lot,  nor  part  in  the  matter.  Let  it  be  remembered  that  per- 
fons are  not  to  draw  conclusions  from  their  own  queftions  un- 
lefs  they  be  attended  with  matter  of  evidence. 

But  fuppofe  now  it  were  lawful  for  the  Jews  to  circumcife 
children  in  fuch  a  (ituation,  that  would  prove  nothing  as  to 
the  baptifm  of  unbelievers  and  profane  perfons.  It  may  be 
confidered  a  parallel  cafe  to  the  baptifm  of  a  Quaker's  child- 
ren, who  is  a  believer,  but  declines  his  own  perfonal  baptifm, 
and  it  would  be  a  very  good  argument  in  *t»  it  cafe  ;  but  I  do 
not   fee   that  it  can   apply  in    any  other  way  to  the  fubjecl. 

*  See  Peter  Edwards,  Graham  and  Eemmsnwajy  upon, 
baptism, 

B 


C    u   3 

Again,  fuppofe  the  Jews  did  circumcife  the  children  of  thofc 
parents  who  were  profelytes  only  of  the  gate,  that  would  not 
prove  the  legality  or  propriety  of  it  more  than  the  practice  <•£ 
Dean  Swift  or  Sterne,  would  juflify  the  administration  of  bap- 
tifm  to  the  unconverted  and  the  profane.  We  find  very  ge- 
neral complaints  made  againft  the  Jews,  by  the  prophets,  for 
profaning  the  ordinances  of  God.  But  by  what  record  is 
this  kind  of  circumciSon  proven  ?  No'c  by  the  Bible,  or  any- 
authentic  record,  I  am  fure.  It  is  the  lawlcfs  rant  of  con- 
jecture. Cornelius  was  a  profelyte  of  the  gate  and  a  very 
devout  man  ;  yet  we  find  a  miracle  wrought  to  convince  peter 
of  the  lawfulnefs  of  vifiting  his  houfe  to  preach  the  gcfpel  S 
to  him  and  to  his  family  :  ail  fuch  perfons  were  counted  un- 
clean, and  the  Jews  had  no  religious  intercourfe  with  them, 
for  which  the  voice  faid  to  Peter,  "  What  God  hath  clean  fed 
that  call  not  thou  common.*'*  How  could  the  children  be 
circumcifed  when  the  parents  did  not  realize  an  obligation  ta 
be  circumcifed  tbemfelyes  ?  "  This  kind,''  fays  (Mede,) 
*•  were  ffcill  efteerned  Gentiles,  and  fo  called,  becaufe  of  their 
tmcircumciiion,  in  refpeel  whereof  (though  they  were  no  ido- 
laters) they  were  accordiag  to  the  law  unclean,  and  fuch  as 
so  Jew  might  converfe  with  ;  wherefore  they  came  not  to 
vorthip  in  the  facred  courts  of  the  temple  whither  the  Jews 
and  circumcifed  proftlytes  eame."f 

The  prefect  practice  of  the  Jews,  in  this  cafe,  is  as  follows  : 
Jf  afiyperfon  has  a  mind  to  be  made  a  Jew,  he  muft  Rrft  be 
examined  by  their  Rabbins,  or  other  perfons  in  authority; 
they  then  take  and  circumcife  him  ;  and  as-foon  as  he  is  well 
«f  his  fore,  he  is  ta  wafli  himfelf  all  over  in    water.* 

Arminian  wifdom  will  furnifli  us  with  another  conclufive 
qurry  upon  this  fubjeel  :  4i  Do  believing  parents  always  have 
rlecl  children?  If  not  by  what  authority  does  a  Cahinist 
baptize  a  little  reprrbate  in  the  Dame  of  Chrifl  ?"  Some  vain 
fpeculators  with  a  view  to  bafHe  the  objects  of  their  repug- 
nancy ence  propofed  this  queftion  :  "  Where  did  Jehovah 
dwell  eVr  the  h  ivciu  and  earth  were  made?"  ft  was  an- 
fwerrd  :  "  lie  dwelt  where  c\r  the  heaven*  &  earth  obeyed  his 

*  Acts,  10.  15. 

\   Mede's  works*  page  \9. 

J  Ses  Booth  on  Baptism.     Vol.  2.  p.  ITS. 


I      15      ] 

Mighty  Cal/j  If  he  made  a  hell  for  those  vjho  propose  idkqucstt* 
ens  \2  impossibilities."  Here  it  might  be  enquired  :  Is  the 
omnifcience  of  God,  with  regard  to  future  events,  the  rule  cl 
our  duty  ?  or,  is  the  revelation  which  he  has  made  for  aur in- 
duction and  direction,  regarded  as  a  rule  ?  If  the  £rfi,  God 
Should  have  made  us  omniftient  as  well  as  bimfelf ;  and  if  the 
la  ft,  refcrentps  to  God's  omnifcience  and  future  events  are  idle 
and  impertinent.  That  God  whofe  knowledge  is  converfant 
about  things  which  lie  has  determined  to  bring  into  exigence, 
and  whole  knowledge  of  things  is  regulated  by  the  mode  of 
Ins  own  determination  ;  and  that  Redeemer  who  knows 
whom  he  has  chofen  can  ascertain  this  matter  with  perfect 
preciOen.  The  direction  $f  fcripture  is  the  rula  of  my  con- 
duct ;  election  is  the  object  ef  my  belief;,  and  though  I  am 
of  opinion  that  God  determines  and  acts  upon  his  own  deter- 
minations, thatdoesnotrequire  that  1  fliould  look  for  any  other 
revelation  from  him,  for  my  direction,  be  fide  that  which  he  has 
given  to  hi*  creatures  in  this  lower  world  already,  who  are  all 
accountable  upon  the  principles  of  duty. 

But  Oppofe  election  depended  upon  the  fore  fight  cf  a  num- 
ber of  good  things  whi«.h  a  perfon  would  do,  and  a  qu  mtity  of 
good  qualities,  which  the  pericn  would  work  up  in  himfelf  by 
mere  reflection  and  diligence  of  foul,  as  faith,  repentance,  and 
love  to  God  and  man,  the  election  of  the  infant  would  be  as 
much  a  fecret  from  the  bsptifer  upon  that  plan,  as  when  you 
fuppofe  election  to  re'iin  the  free  choice  of  God,  without  heir.' 
firfl  merited,  or  induced  by  a  number  of  go<  d  qualities  f<  :^- 
feen.  Therefore,  election  upon  the  Calviniltie  plan,  is  no 
greater  ohftacle  in  the  baptifrn  of  a  converted  man's  children, 
than  election  upon  tl.e  plan  of  the  Armenians.  But  what  is 
meant  by  this  mock  phrafe,  '*  Little  reprobate  ?''  Is  it  in- 
tended to  intimate  that  the  pofterity  01  Adam,  in  infantile 
age,  cire  not  reprobate  by  nature  ?  In  what  Rate  then  do  we 
find  them  ?  They  mud  be  either  in  a  Rate  of  depravity  and 
guilt,  or  elfe  in  a  (late  of  purity  and  innocence.  If  in  a  Gate 
of  depravity  and  guilt,  then,  they  are  reprobates  by  nature  : 
a  reprobate  is  a  perfon,  loft  to  virtue,  or  left  to  gracious  quali- 
ties ;  but  if  they  he  in  a  (true  of  purity  and  innocence,  there 
is  no  occafion  for  being  offended  with  any  one,  who  under  that 
view,  may  compare  them  to  a  iheet  of  clean  paper.  And  if 
tbofe  per  ions  who  talk  fo  much  about  the  good  ftate  of  in- 
fants, da  not  insan  their  innocence  snd  moral  purity,  they  had 


is 


[      16     ] 

better  t?.Ik  intelligibly   and  get  releafed  frcm  the  deception* 
cf  their  fjvoiite  controverfial  writers. 

Will  it  be  f,:id  that  all  infants  have  fomethirg  cf  the  fp'nit 
cf  grace  or  holinefs,  through  Chrift,  and  that  they  arc  jufti- 
fieci  ?  In  that  cafe  they  mull  be  bom  again  ;  other  wife  they 
cannot  fee  the  kingdom  of  God.  But  n  y  mird  is  not  yet  ie- 
leafcd  from  difficulty:  1  fee  nothing  in  ihofe  young  crea- 
tures as  foon  as  they  are  capable  of  difcovefing  the  workings 
of  their  henrt,  befide  a  wicked  and  a  foolifh  human  nature. 
But  I  now  recollect  :  they  are  fallen  frcm  grace.  Yi  t  it  is 
very  furpriiing  that  they  are  all  fallen  from  grace  !  It  is  a  weak 
and- unavailing  kinc'  efgrac*  indeed,  that  has  no  tfiicl  upon 
the  heart  of  the  poffeffor  of  it  !  And  though  it  cannot  pre  iVrvc 
the  foul  from  the  dominion  of  fin,  and  the  ruin  which  is  Con - 
fequent  ;  yet  it  could  fave  the  fowl  in  infancy,  it  could  impart 
heavenly  qualification,  and  never  did  it;  it  could  exift  in  the 
heart,  and  its  eST-cTcs  never  be  perceivable.  This  philofophy 
human  mind  I  muft  difcard  :  1  cannot  make  it  bang 
together. 

I  rather  adopt  the  opinion,  that  all  the  huror.n  race,  even 
in  infancy,  are  depraved,  and  liable  to  condemnation  ;  that 
God  may  apply  the  healing  siricacy  of  the  gofpel  to  infants  in 
a  way  with  which  we  are  not  acquainted  ;  and  that  all  who 
die  in  infancy  may  be  regenerated,  jufliScd  aril  faved.  Yet, 
though  they  may  be  thus  faved,  God  is  net  bound  upon  piin- 
eiples  of  juRice  to  fave  them  ;  neither  have  we  any  affurance 
from  the  fripulations  of  the  gofpel,  thai  they  fliall  be  faved. 
Cn  the  other  hand,  no  man  is  warranted  to  fay,  that  they  [hail 
be  clamned,or  that  any  one  of  them  fhall  be  damned;  St  though 
I  have  often  heard  it  charged  upon  that  rufty  people,  called 
Galvinifts,  that  they  hold  there  are  infants  in  hell  not  a  fp  m 
long,  I  never  heard  any  of  them  fpeak  upon  the  fubjett  fo 
rain,  and  fo  foolifn. 

When  it  is  conceded,  that  "  man  is  of  his  own  nature,  in- 
clined to  evil,  and  that,  continually,"  1  hope  that  no  perfon 
will  think  it  unjnfr.  in  God  fo  leave  fuch  creature  fo']  c~t  to 
the  native  condemnation  of  his  own  guilt.  Though  God  may 
choofe  to  do  an  act  of  mercy,  mould  he  omit  it  upon  principles 
of  juftice,  his  throne  is  guiltlefs. 

If  perfons  be  perfuaded  that  they  ad  lawfully  in  admitting 
tliofe  adults  who  do  not  give  evidence  of  real  religion  to  bap- 


[  If  ] 

tifrn,  they  ought  to  fay  fo,  and  not  to  equivocate  upon  the  f u U - 
je&  :  {Trnplkity  in  the  practice  ef  fin  is  not  fo  difgufting  as 
intriguing  criminality.  If  either  travelling  or  fUtionary 
preachers  j u ft i fy  themfelves  in  this  loofc  way  of  baptifm  be- 
caufe  they  multiply  their  profelytes,  and  attach  a  number  t3 
their  party  in  confequence,  whole  attention  would  not  be 
turned  upon  them  were  it  not  for  this  compliment,  they  have 
their  reward  ;  but  it  is  the  reward  of  Fharifees  :  "  Wo  unto, 
you,  Scribes  and  PhariL-es,  hypocrites  ;  for  ye  compafs  fea 
and  land  to  make  one  profclyte,  and  when  he  is  made,  ye  make 
him  two- told  more  the  child  of  hell  than  yourfelves."* 

In  the  reformation  from  Papery,  the  nVccffary  diftin&idris 

upon  this  fubject  were  in  a  good  meafure  re  tlifed,  as  will  ap- 
pear from  the  various  writings  of  the  Protefbnts  in  the  Ne- 
therlands, in  Germany,  in  Switzerland,  and  in  Britain  ;  r\o 
doubt  the  practice  was  very  deficient  in  this  cafe  as  well  as  in 
all  others  :  as  the  Ifraelites  of  old  ever  (hewed  a  propenfion  of 
nature  to  depart  from  the  worship  of  God,  to  that  of  idols, 
fo  the  reformed  churches  through  the  corruptions  of  human 
nature,  and  the  mifts  which  followed  them  from  the  church 
of  Rome  were  ever  inclinable  to  depart  from  the  principles  of 
divine  revelation.  In  that  proportion  in  which  the  churches 
had  been  lax  in  the  sdmiflion  of  gracelefs  pretenders  into  them, 
and  in  vefting  perfons  of  no  religion,  and  who  were  ignorant, 
with  the  ofnee  of  the  gofpel  miniilry,  the  glorious  prefence  of 
God  departed  from  them  :  and  what  will  not  men  do  when 
left  to  the  direction  of  their  own  nature  I 

The  Rubric  of  the  church  of  England  furKciently  proves 
that  they  considered  thofe  who  reprefented  children  in  baptifm 
to  be  real  chriftians  themfelves  ;  therefore  they  addrefs  them 
as  fuch  :  they  are  fpoken  to  as  pofle  fling  all  the  qualifications 
of  thofe  who  enjoy  the  cultivation  of  the  Holy  Ghoft.  Yet 
how  reverfe  is  the  practice  of  a  multitude  in  that  church  in  the 
adminiftration  of  baptifm  ?  But  we  cannot  in  this  blame  their 
articles  :  they  are  living-  witnefiVs  that  they  have  wofully  de- 
parted from  thu-ir  original  ground.  Is  the  doctrine  which  that 
church  holds  evangelical?  Yrs.  Why  then  do  fo  many  of 
her  pat  fons  difhonor  her  by  that  unchriftian  practice  Gf  com- 
plimenting  away  her  baptifm,  and  other  ordinances  upon  the 

*  Mttth.  23,  15, 

B    2 


[      18     3 

irreligious  down,  the  dry  impenitent  legalift,  the  fceptic  an? 
even  the  debauchee  ?  It  arife's  from  the  corruptnefs  of  her 
clergy  and  her  profeflors  ;  but  many  are  excepted  :  by  their 
fruits  ye  shall  knew  them.  Lift  up  your  eyes,  and  behold  th« 
defolations  of  that  church  through  the  ftate  of  Virginia  ; 
her  ordinances  have  been  proftituted  and  her  walls  are  in  con- 
ference broken  down. 

The  Methodift  church  with  refpedt  to  the  adminiftratien  of 
baptifm,  tread  in  the  fame  dirty  paths  as  the  corrupt  part  of 
the  church  of  England.  I  am  told,  indeed,  that  fome  of  that 
fociety  are  of  opinion,  baptifm  fhculd  be  confined  to  believers 
and  their  children  ;  how  great  the  proportion  I  know  not  ; 
but  I  incline  to  think  they  are  few,  as  I  have  heard  of  their 
preachers  frequently  offering  arguments  in  favor  of  the  ad- 
miniftration  of  baptifm  to  the  children  of  thofe  who  are  not 
converted,  and  it  is  their  general  practice  not  to  baptize  the 
houfeholds  of  a  believing  jailor,  or  a  Lydia  only  ;  but,  alfo, 
the  houfeholds  of  gracelefs  mortals  who  neither  fear  ©od  nor 
regard  man  ;  nor  yet  deny  the  vanities  of  this  world.  The 
jncreafe  of  a  fociety  is  no  matter  ofboaft  when  they  who  Ere 
employed  in  profelyting  can  admit  into  their  catalogue  thofe 
who  have  not  the  real  gofpel  qualification  of  a  christian,  but 
only  a  predilection  in  favor  of  a  certain  form  of  fentiment; 
and  it  is  eaiy  to  clamor  fentiments  into  the  mind  of  an  inju- 
dicious {inner  who  is  gaping  for  fome  place  of  reft  in  fociety 
without  juft  apprehennons  of  his  God,  or  the  plan  of  falva- 
tion. 

Under  the  general  name  of  Prefbyterian,  I  find  a  great  ma- 
ny whnfe  religion  is  a  mere  echo.  Many  of  the  transatlantic 
Biadtf-profefTors  and  no  fmall  number  of  thofe  who  are  made 
en  this  fide  the  ocean,  are  enemies  to  the  crofsof  Gbrift — awe 
enemies  to  the  juft  impreffions  which  the  gofpel  fhould  make 
vpon  the  heart  of  finners  and  the  effect  which  it  fhould  have 
upon  their  conduit. 

By  reafon  of  the  loofe  and  inconfiderate  practice  of  fome  in 
the  adminiftration  of  baptifm,  great  difficult-*,  '•  devolved  upon 
the  hands  of  thofe  who  limit  their  conduct  in  this  cafe  by  the 
reftricYion  of  the  word  of  God,  and  who  are  actuated  by  its  juft 
principles.  Many  who  would  be  mortified  at  the  thoughts  of 
tiieir  exclusion,  and  ftimulated  to  prepare  thtmfelves  for  the 


[  19  1 

ipprohation  of  the  church,  and  confequently  the  approbation 
of  their  God,  are  fettled  down  in  their  fecurity  by  a  reception 
to  the  ordinances  of  the  church,  and  their  rejection  becomes 
the  ©ccafion  of  rooted  antipathy  againft  rhofe  who  treated  them 
with  hoaefty,  and  according  to  the  principles  of  divine  revela- 
tion. 

I  have  known  frequent  inftances  of  perfons  who  were  re- 
jected upon  application  for  baptifm  to  their  children,  becaufe 
they  themfelves  feemed  not  to  be  the  fubjeclsef  a  living  faith, 
and  a  gofpel  repentance,  make  a  pretence  that  they  could  not 
agree  with  our  church  in  fentiment,  and  obtain  that  privilege 
of  the  Metfeodifh  or  the  church  of  England,  or  that  they  were 
confeientious  about  Gnging  of  hymns,  and  upon  the  notion  of 
their  orthodoxy  received  to  that  ordinance  by  fome  of  the  Se- 
eeders, 

I  have  nothing  to  fay  againft  the  good  people  of  the  Secef- 
fion  :  I  leve  and  refpect  them  fo  far  as  they  are  employed  in 
rectifying  focirty — fo  far  as  they  ac"l  in  confonance  with  our 
Common  Confeflion,  which  we  conceive  is  a  fummary  of  fcrip- 
ture  dodlrine,  and  to  which  that  people  glorioufly  profefs  to 
bear  witnefs  ;  but  it  is  a  ftubborn,  and  undeniable  fa£t,  that  a 
great  many  who  attach  theoifelves  to  thatfociety  in  this  coun- 
try, and  I  believe  in  different  parts  of  America,  are  deftitute 
of  all  apprarance  of  real  and  experimental  piety.  They  talk 
with  as  much  wildnefs  on  the  fubjeft  as  the  illiterate  clown 
dees  about  the  Newtonian  philofophy. 

There  are  many  np  and  down  of  this  defcription  within  the 
limits  »f  the  Prefbyterian  church  ;  but  I  cannot  tell  how  they 
have  gotten  into  it,  nor  how  they  are  retained  :  I  am  fure  it 
is  not  in  conformity  with  our  tenrts.  The  enemy  indeed  fows 
tares,  and  we  cannot  boaft  of  our  prudence,  knowledge  and 
precaution  in  any  cafe  ;  but  I  am  afraid  that  the  degree  of 
distinction  is  not  made  at  all  times  by  the  door-keepers  of 
Chiift's  inclofures  which  the  information  thry  pofu-fs  admits. 
Thry  allow  the  pnifonous  goat  too  voluntarily  tograze  upon  the 
pafturcs  allotted  for  the  »heep. 

Some  make  fhipwreck  of  their  religious  character,  nra  are 
obnoxious  to  the  frowns  of  fociety  ;  th  ty  then  fet  out  like 
>Joah's  raven,  and  employ  all  their  (hifts  and  fondling  ftrata- 


I    20    3 

gem  ;  and  by  making  compliment  of  divine  ordinances  thev 
after  a  while  huddle  around  themfelves  fuch  as  were  difaffe&- 
ed5  and  fuch  as  place  religion  in  names  and  ordinances. 

Baptifm  is  difpenfed  by  fome  in  the  fame  manner  that  in 
countries  where  publications  are  ufual,  broken  priefls  and  par- 
fons  are  employed  for  the  purpofe  of  celebrating  clandestine 
marriages.  Thofe  prople  who  are  not  difpofed  cordially  to  ob- 
ferve  the  requirements  of  the  gofpel,  and  wifti  to  obtain! 
church  privilege  can  eafily  determine  how  they  will  get  into 
the  good  graces  of  thofe  mod  kind,  moft  benevolent,  and  moft 
liberal  men.  We  have  fcen  men  who  in  moft  tilings  are  in- 
flexible as  the  fturdy  oak  ii*  the  foreft,  in  this  cafe  pliant  a3  the 
limber  willow. 

This  is  as  contrary  to  the  do&rine  of  our  church  as  it  is  to 
the  fcripture.  The  confefiion  fays,"  Not  only  thof?  that  do 
actually  profefs  faith  in  and  obedience  unto  Chrift,  but  alfo 
the  infants  of  one  or  both  believing  parents  ?:re  to  be  baptized."* 
The  catechifms  fpeak  the  fame  fentiments  :  "  To  whom  is 
baptifm  to  be  adminiftered  ?"f 

Anfwer.  "  Baptifm  is  not  to  be  adminiftered  to  any  that 
are  out  of  the  vifible  church,  till  they  prcfrfs  their  faith  in 
Chrift,  and  obedience  to  him,  but  the  infants  of  fuch  as  are 
members  of  the  vifible  church  are  to  be  baptized." 

This  profeflion  is  undoubtedly  fiach  an  expreflion  ©f  the 
real  ftate  of  our  mind  both  by  the  language  of  our  lips,  and 
the  actions  of  our  life,  as  will  fcrve  to  excite  the  juft  opinion 
of  the  church,  that  we  are  born  again,  and  that  we  ire  acluat- 
ed  by  divine  grace.  A  profeflion  which  does  not  imply  a  true 
repentance  and  the  renovation  of  our  heart  is  by  no  means  a 
profeHIon  of  faith  in  Chrift. 

The  obedience  of  which  the  Confefiion  fpeaks  isans^ual 
life  of  obedience  already  in  exigence  t©  the  gofpe!  of  Chrift. 
It  is  not  a  mere  nffertion  made  by  a  perforu  that  he  has  faith 
in  Chrift  and  promifes  that  he  will  live  in  obedience  to  the  gof- 
p-1  in  future  :   Noj  that  is  not  it. 

*  Confess.  Ch  £8.  4. 
\  Cat.  9itesU  93. 


[■-»"■]- 

The  Catechifra  beautifully  coincides  with  the  fcripture 
where  it  f..y$,  that  with  the  heart  man  beJieveth  unto  righteous- 
nefs,  &  with  the  mouth  cor.feffion  is  made  unto  falvr.tion.*  Our 
Saviour  fpeaks  of  this  profefiion  when  he  fays,  *'  Let  ycur 
light  fo  fhine  before  men  that  they  may  fee  ycur  good  works3 
and  glorify  your  father  who  is  in  heaven. "j 

Thi3  is  the  profeiTion  which  will  enable  us  with  a  good  face 
to  claim  the  privileges  of  the  goip-1.  This  is  ihe  tcnftfP.cn 
and  profeffiorifor  which  the  church  fliould  lock,  in  admitting 
to  the  privilege  of  baptifm. 

When  but  one  of  the  parents  is  a  believer,  the  children  are 
admitted  to  baptifm  ;  which  fcrves  to  ihew  thiit  according  to 
the  Confcffion,  if  one  or  both  of  t  hern  do  not  give  evidence  of 
their  faith  there  is  no  admiffion  to  baptifm.  As  to  the  cafe 
of  the  children  when  grown  to  the  time  of  reflection,  and  im- 
provement, it  they  do  opt  realize  in  their  life  the  requirements 
*f  the  gofpel,  they  hear  not  the  voice  of  the  church  ai.d  are. 
to  be  deemed  as  heathen-men  and  publicans. 

We  admit  them  becaufe  we  think  it  is  the  counfel  of  hea- 
ven ;  not  becaufe  it  is  the  policy  of  our  church.  If  we  did 
not  admit  the  houfehold  of  believers  to  baptifm,  the  economy 
cf  the  church  would  ne>t  be  fo  difficult  ;  but  we  are  not  id 
confult  our  own  eafe  and  pleafure  in  the  management  of  God's 
houfe,  but  what  we  conceive  to  be  the  tnftru&ionsof  heaven, 
Js  it  not  (h-uneful,  and  cr'.mip.«]  in  any  of  tfeofe  minifters  and 
church  fcfiions  who  profrfs  to  regulate  their  practice  by  the 
Weftminfter  Confeffion  of  faith,  to  admit  to  baptifm  thole  per- 
fons  who  evidence  to  the  world,  that  they  are  riot  the  friends, 
but  rather  the  enemies  of  the  holy  icligion  of  JeTus  ?  That 
this  in  fome  inftances  is  the  cafe  is  as  proper  to  announce  as  it 
was  in  the  leered  hiftorian  to  animadvert  upon  the  crimes  of 
David  and  Solomon. 

Though  we  cannot  pretend  to  be  perfect  judges  of  the  real 
religion  ofperfons,  when  employing  thegreateft  fincerity  and 
care  ;  yet  we  may  be  fuch  judges  as  not  to  receive  into  the 
befom  of  the  church  thofe  who  do  net  wear  even  the  colours 

*  Bom.  10.  10. 
t  Mattfi.  5.  16. 


i     22     3 

of  rcligien  in  their  Yf  ftmrnts.  Are  there  rot  fome  fervants 
employed  in  the  church  who  are  fo  unfaithful  thatthey  man- 
tle the ni fr Ives  around  >v i t Ii  a  voluntary  and  an  affected  igno- 
rance of  the  condition  of  thofe  they  adue't  to  its  privileges,  & 
for  this  reafen  they  afflft  there  is  an  impropiiety  in  man's 
ranking  any  inquiry  into  the  Hate  of  the  heart.  They  rj<  fire 
it  (hould  be  fo,  that  they  might  ftand  behind  this  p;<per  Wall, 
and  ufe  it  as  an  apology  for  therafelves  in  introducing  fo  ma- 
ny irregular,  and  profane  perf.ns  to  the  communion  or  re- 
taining them  in  it.  It  would  feem  they  think  it  indifferent 
whether  their  fig-trees  bear  fruit  or  only  leaves,  fo  they  can  fit 
under  their  ihadr,  and  defend  therafelves  from  a  burning  fui». 

They  fay  it  is  the  pnrt  of  God  to  judge  the  heart  ;  they 
cannot  think  of  this  when  they  ufe  fuch  hard  fpeeches  ref- 
pecYmg  fome  of  their  neighbors  ;  they  can  judge  of  their  heart 
and  religion  too  fomttimts  without  much  deliberation. 

But  who  pretends  to  judge  of  the  heart  ?  We  judge  of  the 
language  which  the  perfon  fays  is  that  of  his  heart  ;  we  judge 
of  the  expreflion  which  the  perfon  m^kes  of  the  txrrcife  of 
grace  in  his  heart  ;  we  judge  of  his  converfation  ;  his  fruit, 
comparing  fpiritual  things  with  fpiritual.* 

Men  are  bound  by  the  authority  of  fcripture  c<  To  he  rea- 
dy always  te  give  an  an fwer  to  every  man  that  aiketh  the  reafen 
of  t;  e  hope  that  is  in  them,  with  meek':,  is  and  fear."t  Whs 
can  prefume  it  is  net  a  ckjty  to  give  an  account  of  the  exer- 
cife  of  faith  and  feperttance  to  the  church,  if  individuals  are  to 
be  gratified  with  reafons  of  our  hope  ?  If  the  paftor  of  a  peo- 
ple have  no  recourfe.  to  their  heart  which  is  <*n!y  to  he  gotten 
by  free  converfation  with  tKdm,  how  is  he  to  be  dire&ed  ih 
the  accoBimod  tion  of  his  difcourfes  to  their  cafe-  ?  How  is  the 
medicine  of  the  gofpel  to  be  applied  when  it  is  not  known 
what  the  particular  complaints  of  the  heart  are  ?  Why  fhould 
a  perfon  make  a  fecret  of  the  work  of  the  fpirit  in  his  heart  ? 
The  effects  of  it  in  the  life  of  chriftians  mull  be  vifibleasthe 
eandle  in  an  open  place,  or  a  city  upon  an  hill.  The  greater 
part  of  the  Pfalms,  and  a  great  deal  of  other  fcripture,  are  de- 
clarations of  the  work  of  grace  in  the  heart. 

*   I  Cor.  2.  13,  14. 
f    i  PeUr.3.  15. 


t    M   1 

lent  th.3t  a  man  have  knowledge:  there  mav 
I  i  hi  judgment  rrny  be  correct, 

,    -■-.  d    tiir  will  ebftinate.     Let 
euiirs  i.ll  his  He  wards  to  cx- 
■....;.-...     Lee  a  '  •    i.-'C  ltd  oracles. 

Let  it  beobferved  that  1  do  not  r<ft.ict  the  fault  of  cor- 
ftpting  tiie  church  to  thofe  wrbo  arc  in  the  practice  of  Pedo- 
iptifm  :  thofe  who  practice  only  adult  baptifm  are  in titlrd 
i  a  fhare  in  this  criminal  bufuif  is  :  there  is  no  injury  to  be 
aceived  by  fociety  from  infants,  or  perfons  in  a  ftate  of  mi- 
ority,  who  are  taken  into  the  arms  of  the  church  while  their 
rinds  are  flexible,  and  fufceptible  of  gofpcl  impreflion,  cou- 
riering that  at  that  time  they  have  no  rule,  and  are  in  a  min- 
er paiTive  to  the  guardianfhip  of  the  church. 

It  is  admitted  that  under  the  purett  intentioni  fociety  may 
t reive  bad  meaibers  unawares.  The  fault  lies  in  net  cutting 
5*  thofe  who  give  evidence  of  their  difqualified  ftate  of 
-jir.d  for  being  ufeful  and  faithful  members  of  the  fociety. 

I  am  induced  to  believe  that  there  is  a  multitude  ofVotten 
lembers  in  the  baptift  church  at  this  day  ;  many  ignorant 
nd  unprincipled  perfons,  who  have  nothing  to  plead  in  favor 
f  their  religion,  but  an  obfolete  experience,  confiding  of* 
ittle  traniierit -conviction,  fome  imaginary  views,  and  a  little 
oy,  refulting  from  the  notion  of  their  acceptance  with  God. 
>et  not  the  Baptift  think  that  I  am  calling  any  reflections 
Jin  the  fundamental  principles  of  his  oHirch  :  that  is  not 
if  object.  I  believe  there  are  many  valuable-  diriflians,  in 
hat  fociety,  who  abominate  failfe  religion,  and  are  is  ling  their 
ndeavours  to  engage  their  fellow-creatures  in  the  love  and 
r.ryice  of  God.  Yet  1  think  that  many  have  crouded  into 
:  with  a  very  fitperjScial  ftock  of  religion  indeed,  and  that 
•  '.has  great  need  of  purging  at  this  time. 

A  relation  of  fome  exercife  of  mind,  which  bears  but  * 
Indowy  refemblance  to  that  of  the  new  creature,  pa(Tes  with 
•nany  of  them  for  a  great  experience  of  grace,  juftbecaufe  it 
.>  ft  copy  of  their  own  feelings,  or/apprehenfions,  when  thry 
have  not  charity  enough  to  admit  the  religion  of  perfons  who 
»?o  not  obferve  their  mode  of  baptifm,  wbofe  life  and  converfa- 
tion  e,"ive  every  proof  of  their  regard  to  the  divine  law,  and 
*he  exiftence  of  a  living  faith  in  their  heart. 


C    s*    1 

It  Teems  to  be  a  folly  of  this  kind  of  which  the  apoftle 
takes  notice,  in  fame  of  the  Corinthians  when  he  f.;ys  ;  **  For 
we  dare  riot  make  ourfelves  of  the  number,  or  compare  our- 
feives  with  fume  that  commend  themfelves:  but  they  mea- 
furing  themfelves  by  themfelves,  and  Comparing  thmifcrlvet 
among-  themfelves,  are  not  wife.''*  We  cannot  limit  the  di- 
vine fpiiit  in  the  work  of  converfion  :  no  cant  notion  of  aa 
cxpsiience  mould  pais  for  an  evidence  of  grace. 

When  we  find,  indeed,  that  the  work  of  faith  and  repent. 
jmce,  has  been  wrought  in  a  man's  heart,  and  that  real  prin- 
ciples of  holinefs  acluate  his  mind,  of  which  we  may  judge 
partly  from  his  converfation,  and  partly  from  his  conduct,  wt 
are  then  authorifed  to  receive  him  as  a  brother  in  the  faith. 

That  high  approbation  which  I  have  fome  times  heard 
pronounced  upon  perfons,  who  gave  but  very  little  proof  of 
their  religion  ;  that  flattering  reception  met  with  by  a  whole 
fociety  of  fuppofed  faints  and  judges,  is  juft  calculated  to  be- 
guile the  incautious  mind  into  a  ftate  of  vanity,  and  lull  it  fall 
rfleep  in  the  fecurity  of  fin. 

The  rral  character  of  a  chrlftian,  and  the  proper  notion  of 
faith  and  converfion,  as  derived  from  the  word  of  God,  may, 
in  continuance  of  time,  be  fo  entirely  loft  from  that  fociety, 
by  tfaf  influence  of  an  ungodly  majority  who  may  get  into  it, 
that  it  will  be  converted  into  a  fynagogue  of  fatan  :  the  ma- 
jority of  any  fociety,  efpecially  when  they  are  equal  in  indivi- 
dual power,  hear  the  fway.  In  that  fociety  where  all  decifi- 
ens  in  council  cf  any  kind — and  in  the  reception  and  the  ex- 
clufion  of  tfeeir  members,  are  made  by  the  greater  number  of 
votes,  where  the  ignorant  and  the  knowing  ;  the  wife  and 
the  unwife  ;  the  bond  and  the  free  ;  the  male  and  the  fe- 
male ;  the  young  and  the  old,  have  all  an  equal  and  promifcu- 
ous  influence  in  government,  the  features  of  democracy  are 
too  ftrong  to  promife  prefervation  of  purity,  order  and  regu- 
larity. Clafhing  paffions  will  fruftrate  the  beft  concerted 
plan,  and  drive  the  wheels  of  government  from  the  proper  line 


There  are  fome  of  that  focirty  of  opinion,  that  a  mere  dec- 
laration of  affent  to  the  chrilUan  faith,  is  a  fufHcient  ground 

♦  2  Cor.  10.   12. 


[     25     ] 


loradmiflion  to  baptifro-     Should  fo  great  a  number  obtain 

entrance  into  that  church,  2s  would  decide  the  balance  of  in- 
fluence in  favor  of  thofe  who  affect  not  the  exercife  cf  grace 
in  the  heirt  Ix.  who  would  feel  friendly  to  fo  free  a  plan  of  ad- 
miiTion  of  members  ;  fhould  in  the  mean  time,  the  tide  of  their 
popularity  run  high  for  a  few  years,  thay  would  become  a  huge 
and  formidable  mafs  of  the  mo  ft  violent  bigots.  Let  this  fo- 
eiety  take  care  then  left  the  pride  of  their  heart  fhall  have  de- 
ceived them,*  and  the  multitudes  of  their  believers  prove  to  be 
billows  dallied  upon  the  Ihore. 

Impreffed  with  thefe  views  of  the  ftate  of  religious  fociety, 
nothing  can  releafe  the  reflective  mind,  from  the  deeped  dti'- 
pondency,  but  the  fure  promife  of  that  prophet  whole  words 
cannot  fail ;  a  Upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church  ;  and 
the  gates  of  hell  (hall  not  prevail  againft  it.,;f 

A  REFLECTION. 


ne 


MEN  who  are  not  pleafcd  with  the  chriftian  religion,  wl 
shoofe  to  difavow  its  authority,  and  difcredit  its  truth,  gener- 
ally expatiate  upon  the  faults  of  the  members  of  religious  fo- 
ciety, and  the  mifchiefs  to  which  their  bad  conduct  has  given 
occafion  ;  they  draw  conclulions  hence  unfavorable  to  the 
truths  of  divine  revelation,  and  the  rules  which  it  contains  fcr 
the  direction  of  thefe  who  profefs  to  believe  it  ;  but  there  is 
no  juft  reafon  in  the  phylofophy  of  nature,  or  of  morals,  for 
thofe  ccnclufions  of  infidelity  refpecling  the  chriftian  religion. 
The  variegated  condition,  the  vicifiitudes,  the  declines,  and 
corruption  which  fometimes  mark  ecclcfiaftic  council,  are  not 
attributable  to  the  Author  of  our  Holy  Religion,  nor  to  the 
fyftem  which  he  taught.  Thofe  errors  of  fentiment,  and 
wild  effufions  of  fancy  which  fometimes  delude  thoufands  in 
folly  and  wickednefs,  and  threaten  the  total  defolation  of  the 
temple  of  chriftianity,  are  owing  to  the  depravity  and  imperfec- 
tion of  thofe  beings  of  whick  the  church  is  compofed,  aad  the 
trying  nature  of  an  earthly  ftate  of  exiuence. 

It  is  no  ftrange  thing  to  a  phylofophic  mind,  that  an  inter- 
ference cf  the  divine  fpirit  Pnould  be  neeeffaryto  preferre    m*- 

*  Ob  ad.   5. 

fotikn     16.    IS. 


[     23     ] 

ral  agents  from  fin  and  extravagance  :  though  the  laws  by 
•which  the  material  world  is  actuated,  are  p-rfVct  and  adt-quate 
to  the  puipofe  for  which  they  were  eftabliftaid,  the  free  motion 
of  thofe  bodies  which  are  directed  by  them  in  open  fpace,  may 
be  retarded  by  a  refilling  medium  or  diverted  from  their  pro- 
per courfe  of  direction. 

Thus  the  material  fyftem  might  be  difordered  and  throws 
into  wild  confufion,  if  the  infinite  wifdom  and  the  omnipotent 
hand  of  God  were  not  employed  by  an  interference  which  per- 
petuates regular  and  progreiTive  motion.  From  the  flowefi 
progiefs  of  vegitation  to  the  mo  ft  rapid  velocity  of  the  blazing 
comet,  the  God  of  nature  muft  hold  the  laws  of  nature  in  his 
hand  for  the  purpofe  of  preferving  the  regular  advance  and 
tendency  of  yegitative  being,  and  the  true  motion  of  revolving 
worlds. 

The  moral  werld  which  is  net  impelled  by  mechanical  laws  ; 
but  governed  by  caufes  which  have  no  power  to  coerce  an  ac- 
tion without  a  conff  nt  of  mind,  may  much  more  eafily  be  dif- 
ordered, efpecially  that  part  of  the  moral  world  which  is  com- 
prifed  in  human  exiftence  ;  the  moft  native  tendency  of  whick 
is  in  a  courfe  of  departure  from  the  laws  which  fhould  regu- 
late its  actions:  the  objects  which  it  meets,  and  the  circum- 
stances with  which  it  is  connected,  are  all  calculated  to  divert 
it  from  that  line  of  conduct  prefcribed,  and  which  is  proper 
to  be  purfned.  It  would  feem  then  that  the  kind  attention  of 
Providence,  the  atlju fling  and  ciifpofing  influence  of  the  fpirit 
cf  God  in  the  heart  of  moral  beings,  ate  mdifpenfibly  neceffary 
tc  guide  them  in  the  \x?y  of  truth  and  rectitude,  and  t©  pre- 
frrve  tliem  froni  thofe  deviations  to  which  even  the  righteous 
are  liable* 


i&rr<m*-m*i  miimmiwumm iijoahMW 


PART    IL 


A  SHALL  now  proceed  to  a  dired  and  to  a  clofer  view  ef 
thefubjec/t,  upon  which  I  (lull  not  hefitate  a  moment,  to  pro- 
nounce the  indifpenfible  neceflity  of  the  evidence  of  a  gofpej 
faith  and  repentance  in  the  cafe  of  all  thofe  who  apply  for  bap- 
tifm  either  for  themfelves  or  their  houfeholds.  Whatever 
may  be  ("aid  of  the  conciliating  effVcls  of  adminiflt  ring  baptifm 
to  irreligious  perfons,  and  the  advantages  they  may  derive 
from  bring  well  affrcted  toward  thole  who  preac  h  the  gefpe), 
is  nothing  when  we  recollrdt  this  is  not  a  gefpel  fn^xiin  : 
44   Let  us  do  evil,  tkat  good  may  com:." 

The  qualifications  which  are  ncceffary  in  adult  p?rfon5  te 
procure  a  place  in  the  church  of  Chrift,  and  of  courfe  a  right 
to  their  own  perfonal  baptifm,  are  equally  expedient  to  give 
them  a  right  for  baptifm  to  their  children  :  it  i^abf'jrd  when 
the  childrens  right  comes  through  the  parents,  to  fuppofc  that 
the  children  have  a  right  to  baptifm,  when  the  parents  have 
none.  From  which  it  may  certainly  he  concluded,  thatiffpe* 
eial  faving-grace  be  required  in  adult  perfons,  as  qualifying 
them  for  baptifm,  the  fame  is  requiiite  lor  all  paients  whors 
children  are  admitted  to  baptifm.  Let  it  then  be  obfervee, 
that  what  may  have  been  or  fli  11  be  advanced  to  llievv  that 
real  religion  of  heart  in  the  fight  of  God,  and  the  evidence  &i 
it  in  the  fight  of  the  church,  is  necciTaryas  a  qualification  for 
baptifm  in  thofe  perfons  who  are  capable  of  making  a  proicf- 
fion,  is  to  our  purpofe. 

When  God  expreffes  his  will  in  any  difpenfations  toward 
his  creatures,  he  never  counteracts  the  perfections  of  his  na- 
ture ;  and  having  the  idea  of  perfect  truth  and  faithfulnefs  as 
being  attributes  of  the  Divine  being,  we  can  never  doubt  the 
conformity  of  his  conduct  to  thefe  perfections  :  in  any  exhibi- 
tion cf  his  favor  or  difcovering  of  his  will,  we  mult  form  our 
notion  of  his  intention  fiooi  the  fignt  b/  which  bs  commuui- 


[      28     ] 

tifra  is  an  ordinance  of  divine  appointment,  to  be  ad- 
miniilercUj  not  only  as  a  figfl  of  admifiion  into  the  church  of 
Chrift,  but  as  a  fign  and  leal  of  faith  with  a!l  its  attendanc 
graces  ;  and  as  a  pledge  of  thofe  fpiritual  bleflkigs  which  arc 
hidden  in  Chrift  for  the  believer.  Now  when  the  mind  of  a 
perfon  is  in  fuch  a  fhite  of  maturity  as  to  be  capable  of  mak- 
ing inferences  and  of  being  immediately  by  thofe  inferences 
made  from  God's  ordinances,  affecled  according  to  their  mean- 
i:)g,  it  cannot  be  cotafiftent  with  the  will  of  God  to  adminif- 
the  ordinance  of  baptifm  to  thofe  w ho fe minds  are  not  the 
cts  of  qualifications  which  it  implies.  This  would  excite 
confidence  and  hope  upon  a  fallible  ground  ;  it  would  be  * 
deception  impofed  upon  the  creature,  to  give  him  a  token  oi 
properties  which  are  requiilte  for  his  falvation  of  which  he  is 
not  polL-fTed.  From  the  nature  of  the  ordinance,  and  the 
:.  faithfulr.tfs  of  God  then,  it  would  feem  improper  to 
pdn>iniiter  baptifm  to  an  unregenerate  man  :  God  doti  nolfpeak 
tohirn'm  the  friendly  language  of  this  institution: IS  He  is  aagif 
with  fuch  every  da\  ."* 

God  ia  very  exprefs  throughout  the  Scriptures  in  acquaint- 
ing men  with  their  Handing  in  his  fight,  and  the  condition 
;  which  they  can  be  accepted  to  his  favor.  The  Divine 
Author  of  the  Scriptures  deiigns  that  we  fhould  make  a  pro- 
per eiVnn  ite  of  ourfelves  and  others  ;  and  that  in  this  we 
'.:  never  place  ourfelves  or  others  in  any  relation  to  God 
which  does  not  meet  with  the  approbation  of  the  facred  ora- 
cles.. rio  this  purpofe  we  have  a  large  and  particular  account 
of  the  qualifications  of  chriflians  and  rules,  by  which  we  may 
)\id^c  in  whom  thsfe  qualifications  are  implanted.  As  the 
gatesof  heaven  are  bared  again  It  all  thofe  who  have  not  thefe 

difications,  it  is  fairly  prefumable  an  admiflion  to  fealing 
ordinances  fhould  be  denied  to  fuch  as  do  not  give  the  evi- 
dences required  to  manifeft  the  pofleffion  of  them  if  they  have 
arrived  at  a  fufficient  maturity  of  age  for  making  a  profeffion.f 

*  Psalm.  7.  11. 

t  "  In  the  Lord's  supper  every  believer  acts  for  himself 
personally  ;  in  the  sacrament  of  baptism,  when  administered 
to  Infants,  the  parent  acts  as  a  representative  and  sponsor  for 
his  seed.  None,  therefore,  ought  to  he  admitted  to  baptism 
more  than  the  Lord's  supper,  who  have  not  a  credible  prof  es* 
:i^n  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  in  the  judgment  of  charity  or  r«- 


I     31     ] 

Sod  himfclf  when  he  inftitutrd  the  ordinance  of  circamtu 
Son,  gave  a  fpecimen  of  the  character  ©f  that  parent  whofe. 
children  undrr  the  gofpel  might  be  admitted  to  baptifm  : 
M  And  he  (Abraham)  received  the  fign  of  circumcifion,  a  feal 
•  f  the  righteoufnefs  of  the  faith  which  he  had  yet  being  un. 
aircumcifed  ;  that  he  might  be  the  father  of  all  them  that  be- 
Hcvc  though  they  be  not  circumcifcd."* 

It  appears  that  previous  to  the  circumcifion  of  Abraham 
Ve  had  the  righteoufnefs  of  faith;  that  this  righteoufnefs  nf faith 
prepared  the  way  for  his  circumcifion  and  for  being  conftitut- 
ed  the  father  ef  the  faithful.  Thofe,  then,  who  claim  the 
right  of  baptifm  for  their  children  from  the  nature  of  the  A- 
brabamic  covenant,  ought  to  poflVfs  this  rightoufnefs  of  faith, 
together  with  faithful  Abraham)  previous  to  the  adraiffion  of 
their  houfcholds  to  baptifm. 

iher  in  the  judgment  of  men  may  not  he  supposed  real  chris- 
tians. Tel  is  it  not  certain  thai  many  who  are  justly  exclude 
edfrom  th<  Lord  s  table,  and  some  who  never  ashed  admis 
to  it-  do  insist  on  presenting  tlieir  children  to  baptism,  and  are 
pleaded  for  by  not  a  few  of  better  character,  who  cry  Qui 
against  the  refusal  as  an  injury  to  the  child,  besides  other  bad 
consequences,  sometimes  pretended.  The  complaint  is,  that  it 
is  a  pity  the  child  should  suffer  for  the  fault  of  the  father* 
This  is  the  very  error  and  prejudice  in  religion  which  I  think 
it  my  duty  to  oppose.  It  arises  from  a  remaining  degree  of 
P$pish  superstition,  to  look  upon  the  sacraments  as  spells  or 
charms,  which  have  some  effect  independent  of  the  exercise  of 
faith  in  the  receiver." 

<c  These  things,  my  brethren,  which  I  have  mentioned  occa- 
sionally, I  have  now  repeated  and  will  add  ts  them,  that  I  think 
there  if  something  very  incongruous,  at  least  unsuitable  in  ad- 
witting  any  parent  to  present  his  child  in  baptism  whatever  bs 
his  character  in  other  respects,  who  has  never  asked  admis- 
sion to  the  Lord's  table." 

This  is  part  of  a  sermon  preached  by  dsctzrWitherspfen* 
when  he  was  about  t  >  leave  Britain  in  obedience  to  a  call  from 
America  to  be  president  of  the  college  at  Princeton*  VeL  2, 
p.  555,537. 

*  Rom.  A.  II. 

G  1 


r  »  1 

That  Abraham  is  called  father  in  allufion  to  the  example 
©f  his  character,  according  to  which  it  is  proper  for  thcfe  w  hoi 
apply  to  the  church  for  ordinances  to  be  formed  is  efiablimtcl 
from  thefe  words  :  "That  he  mighebethe  father  of  all  them 
that  believe,  though  they  be  not  circumcifed." 

We  find  in  Genefis  the  promife  made  unto  Abraham  and 
Iiis  feed  in  this  manner:  "  And  I  will  eftablifh  my  covenant 
between  me  and  thee,  and  they  feed  after  thee  in  their  gene- 
rations, for  an  everlafting  covenant  ;  to  be  a  God  unto  thee 
and  to  thy  feed  after  thee."*  Thi?  feed  muft  be  an  appropri- 
ate character  to  the  relation  which  God  here  acknowledges  : 
he  cannot  in  the  endearing  manner  here  expreffed  be  a  God 
unto  the  wicked  ;  they  are  the  objects  of  his  averfion,  and 
fuftain  no  place  in  the  promifes  of  his  grace.  In  agreement 
•with  this  fenfe  of  the  fubjeft,  the  apoftle  when  explaining  this 
partofthe  fcriptures  to  the  chriftians  of  Rome,  declares,  '*  That 
they  which  are  the  children  of  the  fit  fh,  thefe  are  not  the  chil- 
dren of  God  ;  but  the  children  of  the  promife  are  counted  for 
the  feed."f  The  children  of  God  are  a  well  known  character 
in  Scripture  ;  they  are  thofc  who  have  been  renovated  by  his 
grace  and  made  the  fubjedU  of  faith.  Does  it  not  feem  then  to  be 
the  decided  judgment  of  Paul,  that  thofe  who  are  not  thevifi- 
fele  fubjects  of  grace  cannot  lay  claim  ta  the  promifes  of  the 
tovenaiit,  nor  yet  its  privileges  from  the  church  ? 

Chrift  corre&s  the  f.-lfe  notions  of  the  Jews,  who  without 
toeing  poffefled  of  the  faith,  or  obferving  the  righteoufnefs  of 
Abraham  in  their  life  claimed  a  relation  to  him  upon  the 
ground  of  the  covenant.  "  If  ye  were  the  children  of  Abra- 
ham ye  would  do  the  works  of  Abraham. "J  Their  relation  to 
Abraham,  as  their  natural  father,  could  not  be  dif'claimed  :  it 
was  thfeir  fpiritual  relation  to  him  which  Chrift  here  refufed 
to  recognife,  becaufe  it  could  not  be  faid  in  truth  that  God 
"was  their  God  and  that  they  were  his  people. 

To  the  fame  effe&  are  the  following  fcriptures  :  "  Know 
ye  therefore  that  they  which  he  of  faith,  the  fame  are  th«  chil- 
dren of  Abraham  ;" — "  if  ye  be  Chrift's  then  are  ye  Abra- 
kam't,  feed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promife."]]     The  b* 

•  Gen.  1,7.  T.  *  Job.  8.  39. 

tm.  9.   8.  K  Gel.  3.  T,  %9i 


t   st    i 

liev«r  is  here  counted  a  child  of  Abraham,  whether  he  he  ]evr 
•r  Gencile,to  the  rxclufiou  of  others.  He  takes  his  (Valid  in 
the  church  of  Chrift  according-  to  the  ancient  charter  granted 
to  Abraham  and  his  {red,  J  his  conclufion  is  inevitable  :  if 
ye  be  not  Chriit's  then  ye  art-  not  Abraham's  feed,  nor  heir* 
according  to  the  promif  ;  of  courfe  you  and  your  children 
are  excluded  from  the  ordi  :ance  of  baptifm.  Did  tbofc-  per* 
fons  who  thusexplain  thatcor.ftitutienofwhichcircuracifion  wa» 
a  rite  fet  as  a  csurt  who  flxuild  be  applied  to  by  all  who  would 
cbtain  the  circumcifion  of  their  children,  how  would  they  exe- 
cute their  office?  Would  they  not  a£t  confidently  with  their 
©wn  commentaries  upon  the  coiftitution  of  that  fociety  of 
"which  Abraham  was  the  head  ?  As  an  upright  court,  could 
they  act  in  any  ©ther  way,  but  upon  the  principles  of  the  inftitu- 
tion  ?  Would  not  this  have  kept  fociety  pure  according  t© 
the  defign  of  it  ? 

The  complexion  of  that  profrflion  which  was  made  by 
thofe  who  were  received  into  the  chnftian  church  by  the  spof- 
tles  themfi  Ives,  leaves  no  room  for  an  indiferiminate  baptifm  ©f 
faint  and  (inner  or  the  baptifm  of  the  children  of  the  ©ne  as 
well  as  the  other.  Their  hittory  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apoflics  re- 
prefents  them  to  us  as  coniVious  of  guilt,  pricked  in  their 
heart  from  a  feufe  of  fin,  and  enquiring  u  what  they  fhall  do  t© 
be  faved  ?"  They  were  directed  to  repent  and  be  brpt^ied  for 
the  remiffion  of  fins  and  they  who  gladly  received  the  word 
©f  this  infraction,  were  baptized  ;  they  who  cordially  com- 
plied with  the  calls  of  the  gofpel  and  rejoiced  at  a  view  of 
falvation  by  faith  in  Chrift  were  baptizrd,  exclufive  of  others 
who  did  not  thus  feel  the  eff<  cts  of  the  word  preached.  The 
apoftl-s  received  them  as  chriftians,  and  they  themfelves  ap- 
peared to  have  the  properties  of  chriftians  :  they  continued 
fteadfaftly  in  the  apoftlrs  doctrine  and  fellow  (hip  ;  continuing 
daily  with  one  accord  in  the  temple,  and  breaking  bread  from 
fcoufe  to  houfe,  they  did  eat  th^ir  meat  with  gladnefs  and  fin- 
glenefs  of  heart.*  This  defcription  anfwers  to  no  others  but 
thofe  who  have  the  fpirit  and  the  hopes  of  chriftians. 

The  laft  verfe  of  this  2n<2  chapter  tells  us  th?t  tlie  I  ord  ad- 
ded to  the  church  daily  fui  h  as  (hould  be  ftved  ;  literally  the 
Lord  added  the  faved  daily  to  the  charch.  This  participle,  SW- 

*  Ast.  %.  Sf— 46, 


i     32     1 

amends  (faved)  occurs  in  feveral  places,  and  feems  to  hav« 
ieen  a  common  appellation  given  to  thofe  who  became  pro- 
feffing  members  in  the  thurth  of  Chrift,  and  is  ufed  to  the 
fame  import  with  the  word  regenerated  or  converted  ;  as  in 
the  following1  :  '*  According  to  his  mercy  he  faved  ue  ;"— . 
Cl  Who  huh  Caved  us,  and  tailed  us  with  an  holy  calling  ?" 
The  preaching  of  the  crofs  is  to  them  that  perifli  foolifhnefs  ; 
but  unto  us  who  are  favrd  (Sodfomenoi,  the  faved)  it  is  the 
^ovver  of  God.*  That  falvation  of  which  thef*  fcripturea 
fpeak,  feems  already  to  have  taken  place;  it  does  notrtier  t« 
our  acquittal-  at  the  l«tft  day.  7<q  whom  is  the  prornife 
made  ?    It  is  to  the  faved  and  to  their  children. 

The  ftory  of  Philip  and  the  eunuch  is  to  our  pnrpofe  : 
ei  For  when  they  c«me  to  a  certain  water  and  the  eunuch 
afk-d  what  hindered  him  to  be  baptized,  Philip  told  him,  if 
thou  believed  with  all  thine  heart,  th©«  maytnV'f  It  ftems  then 
that  believing  with  all  his  heart  w«s  neceffary  in  order  to 
procure  a  permifiion  to  be  baptized  :  that  was  the  condition 
upon  which  it  was  to  be  done.  Believing  with  all  the  heart 
is  as  ftrong  an  expreflion  as  could  be  ufed  both  to  fignify  the 
a&  of  the  judgment  and  the  will  in  union.  The  eunuch's  mind 
had  full  information  of  the  character  cifChrift  and  the  plan  of 
falvation  from  the  53d  chapter  of  Ifai.  which  he  read,  aided 
by  the  expofition  of  Philip,  who  from  that  fcripture  preached 
unto  him,  jefus.  That  belief  which  carries  all  the  heart  with 
it,  has  the  whole  mind  centered  upon  its  object  ;  the  will, 
judgment,  difpofition  and  afF-  fiions,  are  all  there  :  no  earthljr 
©bjc&  however  dear  can  be  prefered. 

If  any  mould  object  that  the  eunuch's  anfwer  which  is,  "  I 
feel i eve  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  fon  of  God,"  imports  no  more 
than  an  affent  to  that  proportion,  let  it  be  remt  inhered  that  it  is 
the  fame  kind  2$  Peter's  anfwer  to  Chrift,  which  i3  acknow- 
ledged by  him  as  a  declaratien  of  faving  faith  in  Peter  :  "  Bleflf- 
ed  art  thou  Simon  Bar- Jon  a  ;  for  flefh  and  blood  hath  not  re- 
vealed it  unto  thee,  but  my  father  who  is  in  heaven  "  Who- 
soever, (fays  Jcbn)  (hail  confefs  that  Jefus  is  the  fon  of  God, 
Sod  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  God.j:      Multiplicity  of  words 

*    I  C*f.  1.18.     2  Timoth.  1.  9.     TiU  3.  5. 

t.Act.S.  35,  ST. 

I    Matt,  16.  17.      1  j 


Matt.  16.  17.      I  TV?.  4.  13, 


[     33      i 

ks  not  the  ra»nn*r  of  facred  writ.  It  makes  a  fimple  declarati- 
on  of  a  capital  idea  or  fentiinent,  and  where  there  is  a  neccfia- 
ry  aifemblage  of  ideas  in  connection,  it  frequently  leaves  them 
unexpreffed.  This  is  the  cafe  in  the  inftance  before  us  :  the 
divine  fon-fhip  of  Chrift  is  the  capital  idea  in  his  character. 
Chrift  did  not  give  the  honor  of  the  faith  which  Peter  profeiTtd 
to  thefcripcure  of  tiie  Old  Teftament,  nor  yet  to  his  own  dif- 
eouifes  and  miracles,  but  to  his  father  who  is  in  heaven,  tj 
foine  operation  of  his  grace  which  he  chofe  to  employ  upou 
Peter  for  that  purpofe. 

Another  cafe  for  illustrating  this  fubjeift,  may  be  bad  in  the 
adminiftr'itiou  of  Peter  when  opening  the  goiptl  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. After  he  obferved  that  Cornelius  and  a  lumber  of 
other  Gentiles,  converted  like  perfons  who  feared  God,  and 
gave  evidence  of  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  upon  their 
minds,  he  cried  out,  "  Can  any  man  forbid  water  that  thefs 
ftiould  not  be  baptized  who  have  received  the  Holy  Ghoft  as 
well  as  w e  ?M*  The  reafon  which  feems  to  be  given  here  why 
•water  could  not  be  forbidden  is,  that  they  we  e  chriftians  i.s 
well  as  the  Jews,  who  had  believed  before  them  ;  if  they  had 
Hot  given  proof  of  their  religion,  the  apoftle  would  have  had  no 
plea  in  favor  of  their  baptifm  ;  they  flood  prohibited,  and 
this  prohibition  holds  good  with  relpecl  to  Jew  and  Gentile: 
for  God  ii  no  refpedter  of  perfons. 

I  now  prefect  the  example  of  Cornelius,  the  jailor,  and  Ly- 
dia  as  patterns  for  the  imitation  of  all  thofe  who  with  to  offer 
their  children  to  the  church  in  baptifm.  What  fort  of  a  char- 
acter do  you  fuppofe  that  believing  hufband,or  wife  was,  who 
is  fpoken  of  in  the  rirfl  epiftle  to  the  Corinthians  ?  It  would  be 
folly  to  fay  they  were  not  chriftians  ;  they  who  were  a  reverfe 
of  character  are  regarded  as  feparate  from  the  church  of 
Chrift. 

The  apoftle  Peter  takes  notice  of  a  refemblar.ee  in  baptifm, 
eonfidered  as  to  its  fignification  to  the  faving  of  Noah  and  his 
family  in  the  ark  by  water. f  If  the  fubjects  of  baptifm,  and 
thofe  who  were  faved  in  the  ark,  are  not  to  hold  a  (hare  in  this 
comparifon,  it  might  as  well  have  be«n  made  with  Noah's  ra» 

*  Acts  8.  4r. 
f   1  P.  3.21. 


I     34     ] 

ren,  as  with  Noah  and  the  fouls  who  compcfed  his  family^ 
but  if  the  account  of  Noah  comes  into  the  comparifon,  the 
fcripture  tells  us  he  was  "  a  juft  man  and  perfect  in  his  gene- 
rations, and  Noah  walked  with  God."*  Thus  we  find  that 
all  thofe  profefiious  of  religion,  or  inftances  of  admiffion  to  or- 
dinances which  are  maiked  with  honor  and  accrptance  in  the 
fcriptures,  were  fubjectsof  the  fpecial  Caving  grace  of  God. 

The  manner  in  which  the  churches  founded  under  the  con- 
duel  of  th«  apoftle?,  are  add  re  (Ted  in  all  the  epiftohtry  writings 
of  divine  infpiration,  is  a  very  conclufive  argument  that  the 
primitive  chriftians  were. received  to  membei  (hip  upon  no  other 
fuppoGcian  or  principle,  than,  that  they  were  true  believers  Sc 
members  of  the  family  of  heaven. 

Thofe  federations  which  ftyle  th*  fociety  faints  or  holy 
perfons  fuppofe  they  muft  have  been  received  to  memberfnip 
in  that  fenfe  of  their  profefr.on.  Thus  you  find  the  Roman 
and  Corinthian  churches  addtcifed  :  "  To  all  that  be  in  Rome 
b.'iovrd  of  Cod,  called  te  be  faints,"  or  called  faints,  "  unto 
the  church  of  God  which  is  at  Corinth, to  thera  that  are  fanc- 
tifitd  in  Chrift.  Jcfus,  called  to  be  faints. "f 

Both  the  epiflles  to  the  Theffalonians  begin  with  u  Paul 
and  Sy'vanus  and  Tirnotheus  unto  the  church  of  the  Tl]rfftt- 
lonians."  Of  whom  this  church  v.as  compofed  appears  from 
their  bring  called  holy  brethren  in  the  clofe  of  the  Erfl  epiille  : 
"  I  charge  you  by  the  Lord  that  this  epillle  be  read  unio  all 
the  holy  brethren." 

The  f 'i creel  penmen  wrote  to  the  profeflcrs  of  that  age  eve- 
ry where  in  terms  mofl  explicit  of  their  love  to  them  as  bre- 
thren in  the  Lord  and  the  real  exiftence  of  their  faith,  their 
love  and  holy  obedience,  "  of  their  being  beloved  of  God  ;" 
— "  Renewed  in  knowledge"  after  the  image  of  Gcd.  Ws 
are  perfuaded,  fays  Paul,  better  thirds  of  you,  and  things  which 
accompany  falvation  :  "  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  with 
the  word  of  truth  : — u  But  ye  are  a  chofen  generation,  a  roy- 
al priefthood,  an.holy  nation,  a  peculiar  ptople,  that  ye  fliould 

*  Gen.  6.  $. 

f  Rom.  1.  7.     \Ccr.  !.  2. 


£     35     ] 

fiew  forth  the  praifes  of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of  dark- 
j&cfs  into  his  marvellous  light."* 

When  any  of  thefe  profeflors  become  wicked  and  declined 
from  the  faith  which  they  avowed  they  were  noticed  as  intru- 
ders, who  had  infinuated  themfelves  into  the  church  under  a 
falfe  covert  :  "  Tnere  are  certain  men  crept  in  unawares  ;" 
— ;'  ungodly  men  turning  the  grace  of  God  into  lafciviouf- 
nefs,  and  denying  the  only  Lord  God,  and  our  Lord  Jefu* 
Chrift  ;" — That  becaufe  of  falfe  brethren  unawares  brought 
in  :  "  To  whom,  fays  the  apoftle,  we  gave  place  no  not  for 
an  hour,  that  the  truth  of  the  gofpel  might  continue  with 
you."f  If  their  focieties  had  not  been  made  up  of  profef- 
fors  who  were  fuppofed  to  be  real  believers,  I  cannot  imagine 
how  thefe  accurate,  rational  and  infpired  writers,  could  ex- 
prefs  themfelves  in  tht  manner  which  we  obferve  in  their 
writings. 

The  reprefentation  which  is  given  of  gofpel  fociety  in  the 
parable  of  the  good  feed  and  tares,  dees  not  admit  of  a  volun- 
tary implantation  into  it  of  thofe  who  are  not  the  fubjeftsof 
faith  and  repentance  :  u  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  likened 
unto  a  man  who  fowed  good  feed  in  his  field  ;  but  while  men 
flept  his  enemy  came,  and  fowed  tares  among  the  wheat,  and 
went  his  way."|  By  the  kingdom  of  heaven  here  as  generally 
in  the  gofpel  is  meant  the  church  of  Chrift  on  earth,  the  good 
feed  the  children  of  the  kingdom,  the  fame  with  the  feed  of 
Abraham  to  whom  were  made  the  promifes  ;  the  tares,  falfe 
profeflors  or  bad  members  in  the  church  ;  the  hufbandman 
fowed  only  good  feed,  neither  Chrift  nor  his  fervants  had  any 
hand  in  placing  bad  members  in  the  church,  it  was  an  enemy 
that  did  it  ;  and  it  appears  the  fervants  were  alarmed  and  dis- 
turbed when  they  faw  this  growth  of  tares  among  the  wheat, 
thofe  fufpedled  perfons  whole  conducl.  was  not  ftraight  with 
the  gofpH.  The  difpofition  of  the  fervants  to  gather  up  and 
take  away  the  tares  from  among  the  wheat,  farther  fhrws 
that  they  did  not  knowingly  admit  any  bad  members  into  their 
fociety  :  Though  the  hufoandmaw  hindered  them  from  "  gath- 
ering" up  the  tares,  that  does  not  fuppofe  a  blind  indulgence 

*  Col.  10.  3.    Hebr.  6.9.     Jam.  1.  It.      1  Pet.  2.3. 
t   Jude  A.G.iht.  2.  4.  5. 
j  MatU    13.24,  25—29, 


[     25     ] 

and  inattention  Jto  government ;  it  only  iuppefea  a  riifallow- 
ance  of  perfecution,  and  recommends  lenity  toward  thole  who 
have  once  been  taken  into  the  church  as  christians,  leaf!  thro* 
ifiiftake  an  injury  fhould  be  done  unto  the  children  of  the  king- 
dom :  "  But  he  faid,  nay  ;  left,  while  ye  gather  up  the  tares, 
ye  root  up  alfo  the  wheat  with  them." 

It  remains  ftiil  to  be  obferved,  that  the  perfons  fignified  by 
the  tares  in  this  para&le,  bear  fuch  a  refemblance  to  true  faints, 
that  they  cannot  at  firft  be  diftinguifhed  from  them  :  "  They 
made  their  way  into  the  church  through  diffimulation,  being 
taken  for  the  children  of  God  ;"  it  was,u  when  the  blade 
fprung  up,  and  brought  forth  fruit  that  the  tares  appeared." 

AN  OBJECTION  DISCUSSED. 

SOME  will  fay  that  the  infants  of  the  Ifraelites  were  cir» 
tumcifed  without  any  regard  to  the  piety  or  circumcifion  01 
the  parent's  heart  ;  in  like  manner  the  infants  of  unregenerats 
parents  may  be  baptized. 

I  before  obferved  that  there  is  a  difference  betwixt  the  prin- 
ciple of  an  inftitution  and  the  practice  of  thofe  who  may  af- 
fecl  to  obferve  it.  The  principle  is  invariably  the  fame  ;  but 
the  manner  of  obferving  a  divine  inftitution  may  be  modified 
to  fuit  the  vain  willies  and  depraved  condition  of  imperfect 
man.  The  Ifraelites  it  is  evident,  were  not  exempt  from  the 
common  failures  of  humankind.  Unlefs  it  can  be  made  ap- 
pear that  all  the  pofterity  of  Abraham,  were  the  feed  to  which 
the  promife  would  apply,  the  application  of  the  fign  was  no- 
thing ;  it  was  in  their  own  power  ;  they  might  do  as  they  pleaf- 
ed.  We  find  at  times  that  they  worfhiped  the  geds  of  the 
heathen  though  they  wore  the  fign  of  the  holy  covenant  of  the 
Lord. 

It  is  admitted,  that  notwithstanding  circumcifion  fignifies 
purity  of  heart,  and  the  covenant  made  with  Abraham  is  of 
afpirttual  nature,*  there  were  a  number  ofpromifes  of  a  tem- 
poral! kind  made  to  the  patriarchs,  which  being  afSxed  to  the 

*   Bom.  2.  23,  29. 

t  Gen.  15  15,  16,  17.  Ch.  16.  5.  18.  11?.  30.  Ch.  17.  S. 
S.  Cha*  28,  13,  U.  Che.  $Z.  12. 


9  [37] 

grand  promife  of  the  future  feed,  gave  the  covenant  a  tem- 
poral aipeit,  and  probably,  affected  the  admin iftration  of  cir- 
cumciiion. 

Lay  afide  thefe  earthly  appendages,  and  the  temporal  pecu- 
liarities of  the  Jewifh  nation  ;  view  circumcifion  as  a  fign  of 
the  covenant  of  grace  in  its  ftript  unembarrafled  fituatien,  and 
you  have  it,  in  that  condition  in  which  we  find  baptifm  under 
the  gofpel. 

Does  any  perfon  know  that  God  did  not  require  thofe  If- 
raelites  whole  children  were  circumcifed  to  have  faith,  as  their 
father  Abraham  ?  Can  any  one  allure  us  they  were  accepted 
with  God  as  the  parents  of  circumcifed  children  without  a 
cinumuiion  heart?  Could  they  dedicate  their  children  to  the 
Lord  as  is  fuppofed  to  be  done  by  circumcifion  unlefs  they  had 
faith  to  do  ic  r  The  perfon  who  is  dii'pofed  to  anfwer  thefe 
queftions  in  the  affirmative,  would  I  apprehend  be  as  great  a 
devotee  to  the  Alcoran  as  his  Bible,  had  he  the  happinefs  of 
living  in  that  country  in  which  the  Goran  and  its  author  arc 
honored, 

God  found  Abraham  faithful,  and  of  courfe  a  proper  per- 
fon to  be  a  teacher  of  the  true  faith  in  his  own  family.  This 
laid  a  juft  foundation  for  entering  into  the  covenant  of  cir- 
cumcifion with  him.  When  he  engaged  Abraham  in  the 
t ran  faction  of  the  covenant,  he  did  not  ad  as  the  learcber 
©f  hearts,  or  as  the  judge,  forefeeing  the  degeneracy  of  Abra- 
ham's porrerity  from  their  father's  righteouinefs  :  God  acted 
in  this  cafe  as  the  moral  governor  of  Abraham  and  his  family. 
The  difpenfation  which  the  Lord  gave  him,  in  the  hands  of 
faithful  parents  fuch  as  Abraham,  is  fuited  for  the  formation 
of  the  human  mind  opening  in  acts  of  perception  and  under- 
Handing.  Asa  law-giver  and  moral  ruler,  and  in  agreement 
with  the  views  which  in  that  refpeft  he  ought  to  have,  Gsd 
admitted  the  children  to  the  fign  of  the  covenant  with  the 
faithful  parent,  becaufe  the  parent's  fidelity  to  God,  and  to  his 
fewn  children,  were  to  be  relied  on,  and  the  means  to  he  cm- 
ployed  were  juft  calculated  according  to  the  reafon  of  things, 
or  the  influence  which  they  mould  have  upon  mor?l  beings,  to 
produce  that  effect  upon  rational  minds,  which  was  the  defir- 
©d  object  of  the  great  In fti tutor  of  this  ordinance* 

This  covenant  then  in  refc-rfnee  15  tfee  fight  of  c  ire  am 


[     S3     ] 

•n  was  made  conditionally,  though  the  condition  was  not  ex- 
pretTed  in  the  inlhtucion.  The  natural  children  of  Abraham 
forfeited  their  claim  tor  circumciiion,  as  the  fign  of  the  cove- 
nant, whenever  they  flood  in  the  iituation  of  parents  them- 
felves,  without  that  faith  which  enabled  Abraham  to  hold  this 
covenant  with  God. 

It  does  not  appear  that  God  ever  countenanced  the  cir- 
cumciled  without  that  purity  of  heart  and  faith  which  cir- 
cumcifion  fignified.  If  any  dtftinguUhing  favois  were  beftow- 
•d  noon  them  wuiie  regarded  as  unregencrate,  which  came  to 
them  by  any  covenant  conlidcration,  they  mud  be  viewed  as 
the  fruits  of  thofe  promifes  and  covenants  which  were  made 
at  different  times,  and  implied  temporal  blelhngs.  They  were 
the  bounties  of  heaven  to  the  iubj<:<fts  of  them  held  out 
in  God's  promifory  predictions. 

Verv  much  in  confirmation  of  thefe  views  is  the  following 
pafTage  fiorn  Leviticus  .*  il  If  then  their  uncircumcifed  heart 
be  humbled,  and  they  accept  the  punifhment  of  their  iniquity  ; 
then  will  1  remember  my  covenant  with  Jacob,  and  alio  my 
covenant  with  Ifaac,  and  alio  my  covenant  with  Abraham 
will  1  remember."* 

Forgetting  in  man  fuppofea  an  neglect  of  the  object  for- 
gotten. Thole  perfons  with  refpeft  to  whom  God  had  for- 
gotten his  covenant,  could  not  be  the  proper  iubje&s  of  the 
fign  of  it,  while  it  was  thus  forgotten.  The  rearfen  of  forget- 
ting this  ancient  covenant  made  with  Abraham,  was  the  want 
oFcircumciiion  of  heart.  Should  this  defect  in  m  in  be  leme- 
Jled,  then  God  would  remember  his  covenant  :  the  great  re- 
quifite  was  circumciiion  of  heart ;  without  this  the  exprefii- 
ons  of  G;.d's  covenant  regards  and  attention  would  never  be 
enjoyed.  n  the  nature  pf  the  thing  as  circutneifi  >n  is  a  fign 
or  exprelfion  of  God's  covenant  regards,  would  it  not  be  with- 
held from  thofe  with  reference  to  whom  God's  covenant  was 
forgotten,  and  the  favorable  operations  of  it  fufpended  ?  They 
were  not  at  that  time  his  people,  he  turned  his  back  upon  them. 
«  Br-hoid  the  days  come,  faith  the  Lord,  that  1  will  punifh 
all    them   which    arc   circumeifed  with  the  uncircumcii 

»  Lev.  26.41.  42. 
|  Jerem.  9.  25. 


[     39     ] 

This  is  not  the  friendly,  propitious  language  of  the  covenant 
of  circtrmcifion.  There  are  tome  who  tell  us  that  Abraham's 
fervants  who  were  many,  were  circumcifrd  without  any  dif- 
tinction,  that  baptifm  ought  to  be  admmiftered  upon  the  iVaie 
plan  without  regard  to  the  faith  and  piety  of  the  parents. 

Men  frequently  derive  feotiments  and  rules  oi  condu&from 

fcripture,  which  the  Divine  Author  of  it,  never  defigned  to 
give.  The  plan  propofed  may  have  an  exigence  in  the  ima- 
gination of  thefe  who  choole  to  aft  upon  it  ;  but  I  cannot 
find  it  fupported  in  that  primary  cafe  of  houfehold  circumci- 
ilon  to  which  the  theorifl  refers.  I  will  fet  the  pafiage  J©wn 
far  your  inveftigation  :  "  He  that  is  born  in  thy  houle,  and  he 
who  is  bought  with  thy  money  mufl  needs  be  circ  ■umtifed."— . 
'■'  In  the  felf-fame  day  w  is  Abraham  circumcifed  and  Ifhmaei 
1  }-.  f  :.  And  all  the  men  of  his  boufe,born  in  his  houfe,  and 
bought  with  menfy  of  the  Grangers,  were  tircumcifcd  with 
him."* 

Kere  \z  fuppofed  to  be  an  authority  for  the  baptifm  of  the 
unbeliever  and  his  houfehold  :  the  whole  male  family  of  Abra- 
ham mufl  needs  be  circumcifed  ;  not  only  the  iffue  of  his  own 
body,  but  his  fervants  young  and  old.  Does  this  prove  that 
the  unbeliever's  houfehold  has  a  right  to  baptifm  ?  Does  it 
prove  that  the  profane  Jew  had  a  right  to  the  circumcifion  of 
the  males  of  his  houfe  ?  It  proves  no  fuch  thing.  Abra- 
ham's houfehold  were  circumcifed  upon  the  confederation  of 
his  faith.  Mufl  not  every  other  houfehold  obtain  the  privi- 
lege of  the  Abrahamic  covenant  upon  the  fume  ground  ? 
This  is  evident. 

The  appointment  of  circumcifion  to  thofe  members  of 
Abrah-im's  family  who  were  not  the  offspring  of  his  own  bo- 
dy teaches  us  the  fphitual  nature  of  the  institution.  It  did 
not  prefigure  a  mere  temporal  benefit  to  be  entailed  upon  the 
poflerity  of  Abraham  :  in  that  cafe  it  would  be  confined  to 
his  own  iiTue.  An  heir  and*  a  fervant  hold  different  and 
didincl  claims  in  every  family. 

When  you  confider  the  benefits  implied  in  this  ordinance  to 
be  of    a  religious   nature,  the  application  of  circumcifion  to 

*  Gen.   17.  13,  25,  27. 


[     40     ] 

thofe  in  his  family  who  were  not  the  real  children  of  Abra- 
ham, will  have  an  important  fignifioation  :  per  funs  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  fervants  born  in  his  hcufe,  and  minors  who  were  fuh- 
jected  to  his  faithful  tuition,  care  and  direction,  will  (hare  in 
ipiritual  advantages  in  the  Tame  manner  with  his  own  chil- 
dren. As  to  Ifkmael  who  was  thirteen  years  old  when  he 
Was  circumciied,  we  cannot  tell  what  pretention  he  made  to  pi- 
ety at  that  time.  But  it  feems  expedient  for  us  under  the 
more  Ipiritual  difpenfation  of  the  gol'pel,  to  treat  perfons  upon 
their  own  footing,  io  fooa  as  they  have  arrived  at  fufficient 
maturity  of  judgment  to  admit  of  it. 

Ne  doubt  much  religion  prevailed  amengit  the  fervants  of 
Ahr«ham  :  one  of  his  fervants  whom  he  fent  to  procure  a 
wife  for  Ifaac  feems  to  have  been  eminent  for  piety  :  his  fide- 
lity  to  his  raafler,  and  truft  in  Divine  Provider**  r  are  veiy  ciif- 
tinguifhable  through  all  his  conduct.  The  fcriptures  arc  iilent 
with  refpe&to  the  religion  of  the  rrft  of  Abraham's  fcivauts 
who  were  the  fubje/fts  of  circunn  ifion  :  it  was  not  the  object 
ef  facrc-d  hiltory  to  give  a  minute  account;  but  no  man  can 
prove  that  the  adult  perfons  who  were  in  this  family  did  not 
profefs  their  faith  in  the  God  of  Abraham  previous  to  their 
cheumcifion.  Why  then  fnould  it  be  prefumed  ?  It  is  no- 
thing better  than  profane  arrogance  in  man,  to  oppofe  mere 
lypothefis  to  that  ufe  of  a  divine  inftitution  which  naturally 
r^fults  from  the  meaning  which  the  infpired  commentators  of 
the  New  Teftament  have  eftablifhed.  Thofe  children  who 
were  born  in  the  houfe  cf  this  patriarch,  might  have  an  inter- 
cil  in  the  faith  of  their  own  parents  while  the  whole  family 
being  a  part  of  the  general  family  of  the  patriarch,  might  be 
received  to  circumciiion  under  his  aufpices. 

That  the  mind  may  reft  happy  after  the  toil  of  inveftigation, 
it  is  neceffary  that  it  have  as  clear  ideas  as  poilible.  We  fhall 
for  that  purpofe  travel  a  little  farther  upon  this  ground,  and 
take  notice,  of  that  "  cutting  off",  which  is  the  punilhment  of 
the  negledl  of  circumciiion. 

Cl  The  uncircumcifed  man-child  whofe  flefh  of  his  fere-fkin 
is  not  circumcifed,  that  foul  (hall  be  cut  ofFfrom  his  people  ; 
he  hath  broken  my  covenant."*    Cutting  ofFin  this  cafe  dots 

*  Gen.  17.  14, 


[     41     ] 

not  feem  to  mean  the  removal  of  the  uncircumcifed  from  this 
ftate  of  life  :  the  fad  I  apprehend  will  not  hold  good.  That 
is  not  the  method  which  God  takes  with  thofe  who  neglect 
or  abufe,  the  inftitutions  of  his  grace.  He  fpares  with  a  pa- 
tient hand  even  thofe  who  defpife  his  ordinances,  and  negleft 
his  inftitutions  :  "  He  maketh  his  fun  to  rife  on  the  evil  and 
on  the  good,  and  fendeth  rain  on  the  juft  and  on  the  unjuft."* 

This  M  cutting  off",  rather  means  a  removal  from  the  reli- 
gious fellowfhip  and  privileges  of  the  fociety  of  God's  people. 
This  is  the  higheft  punifiiment  proper  to  an  eccleliaftical  law. 
The  want  of  circumcifion  proved  the  party  was  not  obedient 
to  God's  ordinances,  and  ofcourfc  he  would  lay  himfclf  liable 
to  be  cut  off  from  God's  people. 

«  That  foul  (hall  be  cut  off."  The  foul  is  ufed  for  the 
perfon.  So  in  an  other  place,  the  foul  that  finueth,  it  fhall 
die,  meaning  the  perfon  that  fmneth. 

Though  that  perfon  is  to  be  cut  off  from  the  commonwealth 
of  Ifrael,  he  is  not  to  be  cut  off  neceffarily  from  the  common- 
wealth of  the  world. 

Circumcifion  was  not  the  true  ground  of  an  intereftin  the 
fociety  of  God's  people  :  thofe  fpiritual  qualifications  which 
the  believer  pofTeffes,  became  the  medium  of  fellowship  with 
the  peeple  of  God.  In  the  account  of  God's  word  the  cir- 
cumcifed  are  "  cut  off",  as  well  as  the  uncircumcifed  vvhofe 
hearts  are  not  circumcifed  to  the  Lord  ;  and  thofe  only  who 
*'  do  the  works  of  Abraham  are  the  children  of  Abraham." 

"  He  hath  broken  my  covenant  :"  this  cannot  be  dire«ftly 
applied  to  the  uncircumcifed  infant  :  in  this  cafe  he  had  done 
neither  good  nor  evil  ;  his  mind  never  a&ed  upon  the  fubjec\ 
by  either  an  a£l  of  will  or  of  judgment  ;  it  was  impoffible 
then  that  he  was  guilty  or  committed  a  breach  of  the  covenant 
by  his  uncircumcifion.  The  fin  was  the  crime  of  the  parent, 
and  hi3  own  afterwards  if  his  heart  mould  not  be  humbled  in 
faith  and  repentance,  and  brought  into  a  fubjedion  to  the  or- 
dinance. 

The  truth  is,  an  ungodly  heart  and  life,  "  cutoff"  the  par- 

•  MattJu  5.  45. 


[     42     ] 

ent  ;  and  wh»n  he  had  no  right  to  a  place  among"  the  faith- 
ful children  of  Abraham,  his  infants  had  no  more- right  to  <  ir- 
Cumcifion  than  the  children  of  the  heathen  :  remember  it  is 
the  peculiar  right  of  the  faithfoL  Whether  this  perfon  fhould. 
get  his  infants  or  houfehold  circumcifed  or  not,  he  ftill  violated 
God's  covenant  :  for  as  it  is  fa  id  refpefting  the  Lord's  ft,;.,,  r, 
by  the  abufe  of  the  ordinance,  he  would  bring  damnation  upon 
himfelf,  and  by  the  neglect  of  it  he  had  broken  a  divine  com- 
mand. This  perfon  with  his  houfc  hold  in  this  view  of  the 
cafe,  and  in  the  reafoti  of  the  thing;  nec-fiWily  Hood  excluded 
from  religious  fociety,  or  "  cut  cfF"  from  God's  people. 

A  commentator*  of  acknowledged  {kill  in  Biblical  crith  ifm, 
obferves  that  thelanguage  cf  this  14th  yerfe  might  be  render- 
ed thus:  "  And  as  for  the  uncircumnfed  man-child,  (the  pa- 
rent) who  fliall  not  circumcife  the  fl-fn  of  his  (ore  fkin,  that 
foil!  (that  parent)  fliali  be  cut  off."  This  holds  up  the  true 
Kite  of  the  fubjeft  :  the  parent  is  regarded  as  the  agent  and 
procurer  of  circumclfidn  to  the  man-child  ;  through  his  de- 
fault circuweifton  is  not  obtained  ;  he  of  courfe  then  more  pro- 
perly becomes  the  fubjeft  of  the  cutting  off  from  God's  peo- 
pler-which  was  the  annexed  penalty.  The  privilege  of  circum- 
ciiion,  was  not  obtainable  for  his  children,  ia  this  (late  cf  the 
cafe  upon  conftitutional  grounds. 

The  account  which  we  have  of  the  uncircumcif  on  of  all 
thbfe  Ifraelitefc,  Whofe  parents  fell  under  the  difpleafure  of  the 
God  of  Abraham  for  forty  years  in  the  wilderuefs,  until  all 
that  wicked  and  faitMefs  generation  was  cut  off,  fcems  to  ferve 
fo  well  in  confirming  cur  fentiaients,  I  cannot  forbear  tranf. 
cribing  it  in  this  plate.  "  At  that  time  the  Lord  faid  unto 
Jolhu  r,  m  ilce  thee  Hia-p  knives,  and  circurncife  the  children  oi 
Ifrael  the  fecond  time.  And  JcOuia  made  him  (harp  knives, 
and  circumcifed  the  children  of  ifrael."  M  And  tins  is  the 
-  why  Jofliua  did  circumcife  :  all  the  people  that  c?me  out 
-  were  males,  even  all  the  men  of  war,  died  in  the 
wildernefsby  the  way,  after  they  came  out  ofEgypU" 

Nqw  all  the  people  that  carre  out  were  circumcifed  ;  btrt  all 
the  people  that  were  born  in  tbe  wilder-nefs  by  the  way,  as  they 
fame  forth  out  of  Egypt,  them  they  bad  not  circumcifed.  Fch 


Pj 


..v. 


[     43     ] 

the  children  of  Ifrael  walked  forty  years  in  the  wildernefs,  till 
all  the  people  that  were  men  of  war,  which  came  out  of  Egypt 
were  confumed,  bejeaufe  they  obeyed  not  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  ;  unto  whom  the  Lord  fwSre  that  he  would  not  (hew 
unto  them,  the  land  which  the  Lord  fware  unto  their  fathers 

that   he  would  give  us And   their  children   whom  he  raifcd 

up  in  their  (lead,  them  Jcfhua  circumcifed."* 

The  time  of  this  circumcifion,  was  jufi  at  the  clofe  of  the 
forty  years  which  were  affigned  for  the  wandering~bf  the  Ifrae- 
lites  in  the  wildernefs,  on  account  bTtheii  unbelief.  '1  h 
now  crofled  the  river  Jordan,  and  were  about  to  engage  in  con- 
quering the  Cannaanites,  that  they  might  take  poffeffion  of 
the  land  according  to  the  charter  which  \he  Lord  gi un- 
to  their  fathers. 

The    Lord  ordered  the  pofterity  of  thofe  unbelievers, 
periflied  in   the   wildernefs   to  he  circumcifed  ;   hut  when   tl  e 
Lord  inftituted  this  ordinance,  he  directed  circumcifion  under 
a  fevere  penalty  to  be  done  on  theeighth  day.      WJ  y  I 
cumcifion  of  thofs  Israelites  who  were  bo  theii  fathers 

h.:d  incuned  the  divine  difpleafure,  by  their  murmuring  and 
tnd  unbelief,  was  delayed  till  their  fathers  were  no  more,  till 
they  them f elves  might  choofe  or  refufe,  is  the  quellien  ( 

Thecaufe  of  their  uncircumcifion  is  given  in  the  fijfth  and 
fe'venth  verfes  J  what    is    obferved    before    is  mere    narration. 

The  general  reafon  which  ft  cms  to  be  r.flignrd  is  that  the  fa- 
thers had  difobeyed  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  that  God  confumed 
them  in  the  wildernefs,  and  broke  off  the  prornife  which  he 
had  made  to  Abraham  riefpe&inghis  feed,  as  they,  were  only 
the  grofs  a^rid  carnal  feed  of  Abraham  :  i  :  G  >d  pledged  his 
faithfulnefs   in  the  promife,  only  to  thofe;  1  "     ul  ■    - 

tbemfelves  to  him  as  his  people.  Having  rejected  the  fathers  & 
fworri  they  mould  never  enter  into  the  land  which  he  hud  pro- 
rnifed,  they  could  not  be  confined  any  longer  in  covenant 
with  him.  They  could  not  while  regarded  in  that  refpeft, 
obtain  circumcifion  for  their  children  :  their  own  title  was 
not  well  enough  founded  :  faith  the  great  r<  tp  iu'e  v?,- 
ing.  I  think  it  may  he  fairly  concluded,  that  God  himfelf  had 
folemnly  interdicted  the  circumcifion  cf  all  the  nale  childrea 

*   Joshua  5..  2, — 7* 


C     44      ] 

of  the  faklilcfs  Ifraelites  who  perifhed  in  the  wildernef?,  for  the 
above  reafons  ;  and  that  accordingly  the  infants  of  no  pro- 
fane, or  unbelieving  parents  had  a  real  and  covenant  right,  to 
the  ancient  circumcifion  ;  and  with  rather  lefs  grace  can  we 
fay  that  the  fame  have  a  right  to  baptifm  under  the  New  Tef- 
tament. 

The  reafen  why  we  find  an  interference  of  the  Deity,  in  the 
difpenfation  of  ordinances  to  the  Ifraelites  while  they  were 
palling  from  Egypt  to  the  land  of  Cannaan,  is,  that  they  were 
then  under  a  theocracy:  God  fuperintended  them  in  a  parti- 
cular manner,  and  gave  direct  inftru&ions  and  warnings  to  hii 
fervants  in  application  to  his  church,  in  her  exifting  fitua- 
tion. 

The  travelling  fituation  of  Ifrael  could  be  no  caufe  why 
circumcifion  was  forbidden  :  they  remained  upwards  of  a 
year  at  a  place  ;  they  had  an  abundance  of  repot'e  being  under 
no  compulfion  to  cultivate  the  fields,  either  for  food  or  rai- 
ment. There  was  more  reafon  in  excufing  the  mothers  who 
bore  them,  from  the  inconveniencies,  weaknefs  and  diftrefg 
which  was  incident  to  their  fituation  efpccially  in  a  moving 
condition. 

The  ft  ate  of  this  people  when  circumcifed,  was  to  appear- 
ance very  precarious  ;  juft  in  the  edge  of  an  enemy's  country 
who  were  all  alarmed,  and  ready  to  take  any  defperate  roea- 
fures  for  thrir  own  fecurity.  Nothing  but  an  implicit  confi- 
dence in  Gor!,  and  an  obedience  to  a  divine  command  could 
have  induced  this  people,  and  that  magnanimous  man  who 
headed  them,  fo  far  to  difpenfe  with  common  prudence,  as  to 
fu'omit  at  that  time  to  circumcifion. 

Of  this  u  cutting  off"  from  the  privileges  of  religious  focie- 
ty,  and  the  communion  of  the  faithful  for  difaffetlion  to  God 
we  have  feveral  examples  recorded  in  facred  fcripture  :  when- 
ever God  condefcended  to  interfere  by  an  immediate  act  of 
theocracy,  and  to  exprefs  his  mind  upon  the  cafe  of  particular 
pcrfons,  we  find  the  unbeliever  and  the  wicked  excluded.  Cain 
was  cut  off  from  the  family  of  Adam,  and  his  family  feparated 
from  the  pious  family  of  Seth,  among  whom  the  patriarchal 
church  w-aa  eftaUHfhed.  God  himfelf  pronounced  the  fm- 
tence  :  "  A  fugitive  and  a  vagabond  fhuL  thou  be  upon  ttm 


[      45      ] 

earth" — u  Cain  went  out  from  the  prefence  of  the   Lord,   and 
dwelt  In  the  land  of  Nod,  ontheeaft  of  Eden.''* 

Efau  is  another  inftance  :  he  was  brought  up  by  a  pious  fa- 
ther who  no  doubt  employed  every  endeavor  to  implant  in  his 
mind,  adoring  thoughts  of  God,  and  a  faith  of  the  invaluable 
benefits  fecured  in  the  promtfes  of  the  covenant  ;  but  Ef*u 
was  too  profane,  and  too  much  of  an  infidel  to  prize  things 
which  required  a  fpiritual  comprehenfion  of  mind  ;  and  becauie 
his  brother  had  a  rrlifli  for  divine  things  and  in  this  refpeft 
f-emed  to  profper,  he,  like  Cain,  formed  a  defign  upon  his  life.f 
He  prefered  a  morfel  of  meat,  to  the  favors  of  divine  provi- 
dence ;  God  then  in  the  coutfe  of  his  providence  excluded 
him  and  his  family  from  the  bleffings  of  his  father,  which  im- 
plied the  focietyof  the  pious,  with  ail  other  things  fecured  in 
die  covenant  of circumcilion. 

The  ten  tribes  o£  Tfrael  who  formed  a  kingdom  under  Je- 
roboam, afford  another  proof  of  the  righteous  propriety  of  cut- 
ting off  the  unbeliever,  from  the  fociety  of  God's  people. 

They  worfhiped  the  calves  of  gold  which  were  fet  up  at 
Bethel  and  Dan.  They  no  more  vifited  Jerufalem  the  place 
which  God  appointed  for  fpecial  worfhip,  and  for  fokmn  affem- 

*Gen.  4.  12,  16. 

f  While  the  testimony  of  scripture  stands ,  ctmmcn  sense 
will  accede  to  this  account  of  Esau.  Gen.  25.  33,  34.  "  Me 
sold  his  birth  right  unto  Jacob.  Then  Jacob  gave  Esau  brtad 
and  pot  age  of  Untiles,  and  he  did  eat  and  drink,  and  rdse 
up  and  went  his  way.  Thus  Esau  despised  his  birth  right.'* 
In  reference  te  the  specimen  which  he  gave  of  the  state  of  hh 
mind  Paul  says,  ( Eleb.  12.  16. J  Lest  there  be  any  fornicator 
or  prof ane  person  as  Esau  who  for  one  morsel  of  meat  sold  his 
birth  right.  Then  he  was  rejected  of  the  Lord  and  found  r.o 
place  for  a  change  of  God' s  favorable  providence  toward  Jacob 
though  he  sought  it  with  the  greatest  anxiety.  (Verse  17.  J 
He  now  formed  a  deliberate  purpose  of  the  murder  of  his  bro- 
ther Jacob  :  (27.  41,  42.J  "  And  Esau  said  in  his  heart, 
the  days  of  mourning  for  my  father  are  at  hand,  then  will  I 
slay  my  brother  Jacob."  And  these  words  of  Esau  her  eldest 
son  were  told  to  Rebekch. 


[     45     1 

biles.     They  rejected  the  ftatutes  and  the  covenants   which 
the  Lord  had  granted  unto,  and  made  with  their  fathers.* 

So  the  Lard  was  angry  with  Ifrael,  and  removed  them  out 
of  his  fight  ;  bafniftied  them  from  tr^e  land  of  C*nnaan  a  place 
appointed  for  th^  refidence  of  his  own  people,  where  he  had 
eftfiblifh-cd  the  adpiniftration  of  his  ordinances.  The  king- 
dom of  lirael  expired  in  the  time  Holhea  :  it  was  then  Shal- 
Bianezer  king  of  Affyria  carried  Ifrael  away  into  his  own  coun- 
try, and  difperfed  them  into  various  diilart  parts  from  which 
we  never  hear  of  their  return. f  Tims  becaufe  they 
could  not  be  confined  to  the  true  worfhip  of  God,  and  gave 
themfelves  up  to  infidelity,  the  violation  of  God's  holy  cove- 
nant, the  great  body  of  the  pofterity  of  Jacob  were  ftriken  off, 
and  blended  with  the  general  mafs  of  the  world.  Judah,  a 
few  individuals,  the  regular  prieflbood  of  the  tribe  of  I  evi, 
and  a  fragment  of  Benj  imin,  compofed  that  body  in  which 
the  church  was  to  be  foui.c. 

The  Lord  brought  fnis  work  of  cutting  off  from  his  people 
to  much  greater  pe-ifedtion  in  the  time  of  the  ApofUe  Paul  : 
that  great  m after  builder  takes  a  comparative  view  of  the 
Gentile  and  trie  jew,  and  represents  the  Gentile  faying,  "The 
branches  were  broken  <  ff  that  I  might  be  grafted  in — (he 
replies)  Well,  becaufe  of  unbelief  they  were  broken  of,  and 
thou  ftandeft  by  faith."| 

Ezekiel  in  treating  upon  the  myflical  temple  which  I  be- 
lieve is  univerfally  confidefed  to  be  a  reprefentation  of  the 
church  of  Chrift  which  was  then  future,  has  this    remarkable 

e  :  "  Thus  faith  the  Lord  God,  O  ye  hcufe  of  Ifrael, 
let  it  fufficeyou  of  all  your  abominations,  in  that  ye  have 
brought  'mm  my  fai.c~t.uary  I* rangers,  uncircumcifed  in  heart 
and    uncircumcifed    in    flefli — nd    thy     have     broken    my 

;,t." — "  Thus  faith  the  Lord  Gnd.  No  ftranger  uncir- 
cumcifed in  heart,  not  uncircumcifed   in  nYfh,  fhall  enter  into 

ftuary  of  any  flranger  that  is  among  the  children  of  lf- 
raci. "|j 

*  2  Kings  12.  2  5.— 33.     2  King?  17.  13. 
f    2  Kings  17,  6, — 18. 
\   Rom.  12.  19,  20. 
Ezek.  44.6,7,  9. 


[     47     ] 

The  Lord  had  directed  the  prophet  to  mark  with  his  eyes 
and  ears  the  ordinances  and  the  laws  of  his  houfe.  He  re- 
proves the  people  and  Levitesfor  the  corruptions  of  the  church* 
The  print  ipal  c.iufe  of  which  feems  to  be  the  introduction  of 
the  uncircumcifed  in  heart  into  his  fanctuary,  which  means 
his  church.  By  the  introduction  of  fuch  perfcns  they  had 
broken  his  covenant.  Does  not  this  condemn  and  reprobate 
the  practice  of  admitting  thofe  who  are  unacquainted  with 
heart  religion  into  the  church  by  baptifm,  or  in  any  way  ad- 
Hiintftering  the  privileges  of  the  fanctuary  to  thofe  (Irangers, 
who  were  among  the  Ifraelites  without  circumcifion  of  heart  ? 

The  ftrangprs  were  thofe  who  were  not  of  the  flock  of  If- 
rael  and  had  not  been  circumcifed  in  their  infancy.  It  feems 
the  introduction  of  them  into  the  fanctuary  without  circumci- 
fion of  heart,  or  evidence  of  cenveiuon  is  counted  by  the  pro- 
phet, a  violation  of  the  covenant,  ana  a  pollution  of  the  church. 
M  No  ftranger  uncircumcifed  in  heart  (hall  enter."  Tins 
partakes  of  a  preceptive,  and  prophetic  Ggnification.  It  is  a 
command  not  to  receive  fuch  to  the  communion  of  the  church, 
and  a  prediction  that  they  fhall  not  be  admitted  when  the 
church  is  under  the  perfect  direction  of  gofpel  in(tru6tion. 

Daring  the  continuance  of  the  Levitical  priefthood,  great 
darknefs  and  corruption  prevailed  even  with  thofe  who  enjoyed 
the  living  oracles  of  G  id  :  rhe  honor  of  giving  true  life,  bril- 
liancy and  operation  to  thofe  fpiritual  principles  upon  which 
th^  church  was  at  firft  formed,  was  referved  for  the  miniftry 
of  Ghrift  himfelf.  For  this  reafon  he  is  called  the  Refiner: 
"  But  who  may  abide  the  d  iy  of  his  coming  ?  (fays  the  pro- 
phet,) And  woo  Bull  (duil  when  he  appeareth  I  For  he  is 
like  a  refiner's  fire,  and  like  fuller's  foap.  And  he  fiull  fit  as  a 
refiner,  nnd  purifier  of  Blver  ;  and  he  (hall  purify  the  fons  of 
Levi,  and  purge  them  as  gold  and  «s  filver  that  they  nay  oiler 
unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in  righteoufnef3."* 

From  this  defcrip.tion  of  the  Meffia,  and  the  effects  predict- 
ed of  his  advent,  it  is  natural  to  fuppofe,  that  much  was  amifs 
in  trjLc  commonwealth  of  Ifrael,  that  he  would  employ  his  ear- 
lieft  efforts  in  correcting  and  reforming,  that  he  would  make 
the  proper  diminutions    betwixt  the  facred   and  profane,   the 

*  Mala.  3,  2,3. 


[     43      ] 

righteous  and  the  wicked,  in  reference   to  thofe  ordinances  of 
which  the  members  of  his  church  were  to  participate. 

John  the  baptift,  the  harbinger  of  Chrift,  opened  the  new 
niiniftry*  under  the  direction  of  his  'fpirit.  The  manner  in 
which  he  acted  toward  thofe  multitudes  who  rufhed  to  his  bap. 
tifm,  will  hold  up  to  view,  the  principle  upon  which  Chrift  would 
hive  his  church  to  act,  in  the  baptifm  of  thole  who  apply  to 
her  at  any  time. 

Thofe  inconfiderate  people  in  all  cafes  claimed  the  friend- 
ship of  heaven  upon  the  ground  of  their  natural  relation  to 
Abraham  ;  upon  that  ground  they  claimed  in  a  fpecial  man- 
ner, thofe  things  which  were  moft  obvious  in  the  ftipulation  of 
the  Abrahamic  covenant.  John  the  Baptift  did  not  deny  his 
baptifm,  to  thofe  perfons  who  came  forward  in  the  true  fpirit 
of  that  covenant  made  with  the  patriarch,  but  knee  wickednefs 
would  cut  them  off  from  God's  people,  and  forfeit  any  right 
which  they  might  have  as  the  true  children,  or  imitators  of 
Abraham's  faith  and  piety  ;  the  Baptifi  did  not  hefitate  to 
apprife  them  of  their  c-fe,  and  exclude  them  from  the  holy  or- 
dinance which  he  adminiftered.  He  demanded  of  them  fruits 
which  would  cerrefpond  with  their  pretenfieus  of  being  the 
people  of  God.  He  arretted  the  very  thoughts  of  their  heart : 
'  Think  not  to  fay  within  yourfelves,  we  have  Abraham  tor 
father  :  I  fay  unto  you  that  God  is  able  of  thefe  flones  to 
ratfe  up  children  unto  Abraham."!  The  power  of  divine 
grace  is  as  necelTary  for  regenerating  you  into  the  likenefs  of 
Abraham's  character,  as  it  is  for  renovating  the  frony  heart  of 
the  heathen  man  and  the  publican.  Thefe  inanimate  Hones 
which  lie  before  you.  would  fooner  be  transfigured  into  living 
faints,  by  the  power  o\'  God  for  the  purpofe  of  his  own  fervice, 
and  the  enjoyment  of  his  ordinances  than  ye,  while  in  your 
fins,  would  be  accepted  of  him. 

11  The  axe  is  laid  unto  the  root  of  the  trees  :m  therefore 
every  tree  which  biiKgech  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down 

*  It  is  not  meant  by  this  that  John  the  Baptist  was  constitut- 
ed a  minister  of  Christ  under  the  gespel  dispensation  :  the 
fact  is  Christ  himself  was  inaugurated  by  the  ceremony  of 
baptism  into  his  pu  u  try tif  lie  instituted  n*  office   nor 

ordinance  before. 
t    Matt.  3.  7,  'i,  9. 


t     **     3 

•nd  caft  into  the  fire.1'  The  axe  means  the  righteous  &»- 
•ence  of  God  ;  this  fentenee  13  to  be  applied  in  the  difcipline 
of  the  church,  fo  far  as  we  are  enabled  to  difcern  by  the  fruit 
the  proper  object  :  obferve,  "  the  axe  is  already  laid  to  the 
foot  of  the  trees."  Thofe  fruitlefs  trees  which  only  (hade  the 
ground,  and  have  given  fall  proof  of  their  barrennei's,  rnuft  not 
abide  in  the  vineyard  of  God.  Can  any  man  replant  thofe 
trees  in  the  vineyard  after  the  word  of  God  has  thus  remov- 
ed them  ?  Can  any  thing  fhort  of  planting  them  in  the  vine- 
yard be  meant  by  baptifm  ? 

Again,  Chrift  will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor  and  gather  hi* 
wheat  into  the  garner:  but  he  will  burn  up  the  chaff  wkh 
unquenchable  fire.*  Would  not  facred  reafoning  apply  this 
to  the  adminiftration  of  baptifm  ?  Does  not  the  infpired  Speak- 
er ufe  it  in  part  with  allufion  to  that  ordinance  ?  "Was  it 
not  his  baptifm  for  which,  it  feerns,  many  difqualified  perfons 
applied,  that  gave  occafion  to  thofe  remarks  ?  Was  it  not  to 
convince  the  Pharifees  and  Sadducces  that  not  only  they,  but 
all  ether  perfons  who  lived  in  wickednefs  ar.d  unbelief,  were 
excluded  from  the  privileges  of  God's  houfe  ?  The  juft  rea- 
foncr  muft  always  have  a  view  in  his  arguments  and  illuftra- 
tions  to  the  prcpofition  upon  which  he  ftarts  :  John  naturally 
glided  into  the  ftrain  of  fentiment  which  we  have  quoted  in 
juftification  of  his  own  conduct  toward  the  Jews  in  reference 
to  his  baptifm.  It  operates  nothing  againft  cur  views,  fhould 
it  be  objected  that  this  baptifm  of  John  was  not  the  chrif- 
tian  baptifm,  or  the  baptifm  with  which  we  are  now  concern- 
ed, that  Paul  re-baptifed  foine  who  were  baptifed  by  John,t 
that  all  John's  difciple?  might  with  equal  propriety  be  re-bap- 
tifed, for  John  himfelf  fpeaks  of  Chrift  as  the  perfecler  of 
what  he  was  attempting  to  do  ;  and  as  John  was  the  forerun- 
ner of  Chrift,  fo  this  baptifm  was  the  forerunner  of  the  chriftian 
baptifm.  Whatever  fpirit  is  here  employed  in  excluding  im- 
pious perfons  from  the  holy  ordinance  in  this  inflance,  will  ap- 
ply with  more  force  to  the  chriftian  baptifm. 

A  fuppofed  aflent  of  the  mind  to  the  truth  ©f  divine  reve- 
lation, and  a  number  of  orthodox  nations  floating  in  the  brain, 
will  never  procure  a  right  to  this  ordinance  :    this  kiijc*  of  pro- 

*   MatUjL  10,  12. 
t  Acts  If.  5—5. 


I     50     3 

&flion  Band  a  upon  the  fame  ground  with  the  pretenfions  of 
thofe  crowds  who  came  to  John  for  baptifm,  but  were  flopped 
fhort  with  this  falutatisn  :  "  O  generation  of  vipers  !  who 
hath  warneo  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come"*  The  flat- 
tering title  of  profeflor,  cr  freker  of  religion,  may  be  tacked  to 
the  garment  of  any  perfon  however  profligate  ;  he  is  not  for 
that  confederation  to  be  regarded  as  a  proper  fubjcc\  of  religi- 
ous ordinances. 

You  will  adminifter  baptifm  to  the  children  of  fome  appli- 
cants, or  you  will  baptize  themfelves,  whom  you  would  not 
receive  to  the  communion  of  the  fupper  ;  the  leait  1  can  fay 
offuch  conduct  is,  the  mind  may  have  been  beguiled  into  the 
habit  of  juftifying  it  by  cuitom,  and  cuftoms  may  flow  in  from 
careleflnefs  or  inattention.  Does  not  baptifm  lay  perfons  un- 
der the  fome  folemn  obligations  with  the  facrament  ofthefup- 
per  ?  Why  trifle  with  one  more  than  the  other  ?  If  you  have 
not  a  fufficient  evidence  in  favor  of  a  perfon's  religion,  to  re- 
ceive him  to  the  communion  of  the  fupper,  or  to  believe  him 
to  be  a  chriftian,  upon  what  juft  fuppofition  can  he  be  received 
•o  baptifm,  or  where  his  houfehold  are  in  queflion,  how  caa 
they  be  received  through  him  ? 

Thofe  parts  of  the  world  where  the  gofpel  is  preached  in 
any  manner  and  approbated  by  a  prevailing  number  of  the  in- 
habitants, are  called  Chriftendom  ;  the  multitudes  who  compofc 
this  vaft  chriftianized  animal  when  reduced  to  individuals,  are 
called  christians  in  contra-diflinclion  from  Pagans.  Thefe  muft 
needs,  indifcriminately,  be  the  fubje&s  of  baptifm  according  to 
the  diifufive  genercfity  of  fome  of  the  good  priefts  and  people 
who  join  with  the  general  mafs  in  the  profeffion  of  the  ehrif- 
tian  religion  ;  but  I  know  of  no  other  advantages  which  fuch 
have  by  their  vifible  profeffion  than  that  which  the  cities  had 
where  Ghrift  performed  his  mighty  works  to  whom  he  faid  : 
M  Wo  unto  thee  Ghorazin  !  Wo  unto  thee  Bethfaida  !  It  fhall 
be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  anel  Sidon  at  the  judgment  than 
for  you."  "  And  thcu  Capernaum  which  art  exalted  to 
heaven  (hall  be  thruft  down  to  heM."t 

Thofe  who  make  it  evident  by  their  conduct  thai  they  are 
not  directed  by  the  laws  of  CD ri (Hanky,  and  that  their  heart* 

•  Matt.  3.7.  f  Luke  10.  IS— 15. 


[    51    ! 

we  not  ornamented  with  the  pure  faith  of  ths  gefpel,  cannot 
pofiibly  have  a  right  to  membcrihip,  in  the  church  of  Chnft, 
cannot  puifibly  have  a  right  to  baptifm  :  they  are  thofe  of 
whom  the  Apoftle  fays  :  *•  they  profefs  that  they  know  God  ; 
but  in  works  they  deny  him.  From  this  defcription  of  per- 
fons  Timothy  was  directed  to  turn  away.*  Could  it  be  con- 
fident with  the  mind  of  God  to  receive  into  his  church  by  bap- 
tifm thofc  from  whefe  company  he  has  inftrutted  his  fervanti 
to  abfent  themfclves  ?  I  hope  no  ferious  man  can  be  fo  vain 
as  to  imagine  it. 

If  we  inquire  what  advantage  the  childen  of  profane  parents 
kave  by  their  baptifm,  we  can  think  of  none  ;  they  themfelves 
have  never  learned  Chrifl  and  a  cordial  fubjettion  to  his  pre- 
cepts :  their  children  cannot  derive  from  thtm  benefits  when 
their  own  hearts  are  not  operated  upon  by  thole  confederations 
which  are  implied  in  baptifm.  The  Apoftle  in  writing  to  the 
chriflians  at  Rome  accounts  the  chief  profit  of  cirtumcifion  as 
flowing  from  the  oracles  of  God  which  were  committed  to  the 
Jews.f  Is  it  not  then  a  fair  deduction,  that  the  great  advan- 
tage we  ought  to  contemplate  in  the  baptifm  of. children,  re- 
fults  to  them  from  the  pious  tuition,  chriftian  example,  and 
inftruttion  of  their  parents  ;  unlefs  thefe  parents  have  imbibed 
the  principles  of  piety  themfclves,  how  can  they  have  difpofi- 
tions  for  communicating  them  to  their  children  ?  Can  we  con- 
gratulate the  children  as  introduced  into  the  fc  hool  of  the 
faithful,  while  the  perfons  who  are  conftituted  their  teachers 
and  guides  are  themfelves  the  fervants  of  fin  ? 

Alas,  an  unregenerate  parent  or  guardian  cannnot  fee  deem- 
ed a  fuitable  guide  and  inftrutter  in  the  matter  of  religion  : 
"  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  iga'mft  God  ;  it  is  not  fubjett  to 
the  law  of  God  neither  indeed  can  it  be.\  If  this  mind  be  not 
fubjett  to  the  law  of  God,  can  any  ftrange  exemption  befup- 
pofed  which  will  impel  it,  notwithstanding,  to  perform  a  religi- 
ous part  in  this  cafe  ?  The  improbability  of  fuch  an  exemption, 
concludes  as  powerfully,  and  will  be  equal,  in  moral  reafoning, 
to  a  dtmonftration  in  the  mathematics  :  the  mind  will  be 
equally  affected  by  the  force  of  it.     The  pcrfon  in  queAion, 

*  Titus  1.  15.     2   Tim.  J.  6. 

t   Rom.  11 1.  2. 
i  Rom  %.  4. 


then,  ia  morafly  incapable  of  performing  that  part  whlth  is  rt» 
quired  of  the  parents  of  baptized  children.  Will  a  wife  kiny, 
■when  defigning  to  rear  up  a  fct  ef  fubjects,  who  fhall  be  ex- 
tenfivi-ly  acqu  tinted  with  his  laws,  and  well  affected  to  his  go- 
vernment, conftitute  the  ignorant,  the  difaffected  and  rebelli- 
ous, for  the  purpofe  of  training  them  ?  He  undoubtedly  will  do 
ao  fuch  thing. 

It  may  be  fuppofed  that  what  fome  people  call  a  good  moral 
character  might  be  admitted  to  the  privilege  of  baptil'm,  that 
Bpon  the  fame  confederation  their  houfeholJs  mould  be  bap- 
tized likewife.  It  is  eafy  to  fuppofe  a  number  of  fine  things  ; 
but  it  is  not  fo  eafy  to  make  them  confident  with  the  gofpel. 
I  cannot  find  that  the  fcriptures  recognize  any  good  moral 
character  difUnct  from  the  ehriftian  character.  If  this  char- 
acter is  counted  moral  upon  the  pure  principles  of  the  moral 
law,  diftinct  from  thofe  of  the  gofpel,  or  of  the  conftitution  of 
grace,  the  ordinances  of  the  gofpel  have  no  reference  to  it: 
they  refer  to  the  character  whofe  {landing  is  in  the  gofpel  plan 
of  falvation  ;  but  if  the  character  which  is  meant,  be  of  aa 
evangelical  kind,  I  would  be  happy  to  learn  the  ingredient! 
which  conftitute  this  morality  :  I  can  have  no  idea  of  that 
iiion!  {inceritv  which  does  not  implicate  the  faith  and  humili- 
ty of  the  chriftian.* 

The  fcripture  has  drawn  a  line  of  divifion  betwixt  tfr e  rege- 
nerate and  the  unregenerate  :  though  this  line  be  not  the  im« 
p<(Table  gulph  which  divides  heaven  and  hell,  yet  it  divides  the 
fubjects  of  two  kingdoms  from  each  other  whofe  government 
is  very  different.  On  the  one  fide  of  this  line  we  find  the  fub- 
jects of  the  king  of  Sion  ;  on  the  other  fide  tfee  fubj<-  cts  of  the 
reign  of  fin  which  is  the  vice-roy  of  Satan  in  the  heart?  «f  men, 
and  it  has  obtained  a  very  abfulute  and  ex  ten  five  domination. 

•  It  is  true  we  observe  a  great  and  a  very  ostensible  differ- 
ence in  the  dispositions  and  endowments  of  men  :  whilst  the 
mind  &f some  is  brutalized  with  a  certain  baseness  of  dispositi- 
on, the  mind  of  others  is  fnely  furnished  by  the  God  of  nature 
with  various  qualities,  which  in  our  intercourse  with  them 
produce  our  pleasure,  excite  our  admiration,  eommtnd our  Iovet 
and  procure  our  confidence  ;  but  they  may  be  blended  with  the 
qualities  of  a  heart  which  neither  fears  God.  nor  delights  in 
the  holiness  of  his  law,  nor  yet  has  a  just  apprehension  of  th* 
turpitude  of  mitral  evil. 


The  jurifdi&ion  to  which  they  cordially  fubmit,  and  the  law* 
from  which  they  take  direction  aie  quite  oppoiite  in  their  de- 
mands. 

I  (hall  now  difmifs  this  fubjett.  I  hope  that  no  fenfible 
chriftian  who  is  acquainted  with  his  Bible  will  be  offended  at 
the  freedom  of  my  animadverfions.  I  have  written  for  the 
fole  purpofe  of  evolving  to  public  view  what  I  believe  to  be 
the  truth,  the  obfervance  of  which  is  neceffary  for  the  welfare 
of  fociety.  An  attempt  to  reprove  and  convert  ihofe  whofe 
fouls  are  poifon«d,  and  whofe  conduct  is  ftained  with  perni- 
cious errors  is  not  an  a£t  of  enmity.  I  have  no  malevolence 
■gainft  my  fellow-creatures  to  gratify  ;  and  he  muft  be  the 
weakeft  of  men  who  would  ftep  forward  to  the  view  of  the 
public  merely  for  commendation,  to  whom  this  fact  is  known, 
that  the  deferving  and  undeferving  have  fhared  alike  ia  the 
reproaches  and  the  praife  of  mortals, 


Fiiris. 


